


More Than Just a Broken Arm

by softballchic34



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-27
Updated: 2014-12-28
Packaged: 2017-11-04 10:15:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 124,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/392730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softballchic34/pseuds/softballchic34
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A broken arm is the least of Steve's problems. AU to episode 1.20 with added whump</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have been working on this since December 2011 but have had the idea since shortly after the episode aired. This is an AU to episode 1.20 where Steve breaks his arm after finding the body in the jungle. After a fall like that, Steve shouldn't have come away with just some scrapes and a broken arm. Pure hurt/comfort.
> 
> This is a WIP but I have enough done that I am comfortable posting now. I will try to update once a week.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any of the characters. Nor do I make a profit off them.

Danny will never admit it, but he really is enjoying this hike with McGarrett. The petroglyphs are fascinating and it is a really beautiful place to be. It's not a bad way to spend the morning when he doesn't have Grace. Everything is going really well up until they find a body on a ledge below the petroglyphs. 'Leave it to McGarrett to find a body in the middle of nowhere on what is supposed to be a leisurely hike.' Danny thinks to himself.

"I'm going down there, he could still be alive." Steve says as he sets up the climbing gear he is carrying. He hooks his harness to the rope and makes his way down to the ledge.

"Is he alright?" Danny asks as Steve rolls the body.

"He's dead." Steve yells up to him. "He's got a gunshot wound through and through and there's very little blood."

"Alright look, there's no action up here. No signs of a struggle. Somebody dumped him."

"It's got to be from a plane or helicopter."

"Get out of the way, let me take a picture." Danny snaps the picture on his phone. "Alright come on. Let's go for a little hike, call a crime scene unit. Come on."

"I need you to take up the slack as I climb, alright?"

Danny grabs the rope and starts pulling tight.

"Take that slack Danny!" Steve yells up as he starts climbing.

"Go easy, take your time." Danny said when Steve hits a loose patch of rocks. Steve slows down a little but reaches to grab a rock above him. The rock comes loose and Danny watches in horror as Steve falls backward and the rock slams him in the face. The next thing Danny knows, the rope comes loose from Steve's harness and Steve keeps falling. There isn't anything Danny can do to stop him.

"Steve!" Danny yells as he watches Steve's body slam into the unforgiving rock below him. Steve hits the rock on his left side and slides on his stomach toward the edge of the ledge. He comes to a stop with his head hanging over the edge.

"Steve! Hey Steve! Steve!" Danny yells but doesn't get an answer.

"Steve! Can you hear me?" Danny's yells fall on deaf ears. Danny really hopes that Steve is just unconscious and not dead. The boulder that hit him probably weighed at least fifty pounds minimum and he fell somewhere close to thirty feet, he was almost to the top when the rock came loose.

Danny tries for a few more minutes to rouse his unconscious friend. After nearly five minutes with no results, Danny pulls out his cell phone and is dismayed to find that he doesn't have a signal. He then digs through Steve's backpack to see if the SEAL has a sat phone in there but comes out with a pocket knife, several bottles of water, a couple MREs, duct tape, and a small first aid kit. Danny is disappointed to say the least. The always come prepared Navy SEAL boy scout did not come prepared for a major emergency such as this.

Danny glances down at his partner. As much as Danny doesn't want to, he realizes that the only choice he has to get McGarrett help is to leave him here alone while he goes in search of a cell phone signal.

"I'll be back soon buddy! I'm gonna go call for help!" Danny yells down to the still unconscious man. He knows he probably can't hear him but telling Steve where he is going makes him feel better.

Without a second thought, Danny is running back the way he came into a more open area of the jungle. He stops when he gets to the ridge but still doesn't have a signal. He looks around for the highest point. He remembers Steve telling him on the way up there that the only place with cell service was at the summit. As soon as Danny figures out which direction to go in, he is off at full speed, forcing his short legs to move as quickly as they possibly can.

He finally reaches the top fifteen minutes later. If he had the breath, he would cheer at finally having a cell signal. He dials Chin's number and waits impatiently for him to pick up the phone.

"Hey, thought you were supposed to be on a hike with McGarrett?" Chin says by way of answering.

"Steve fell, he's hurt."

"Whoa, What? How bad?" Kono says. Chin must have put the phone on speaker.

"I don't know how bad, I'm not a doctor. He's unconscious. "

"Where are you?"

"At the petroglyphs."

"Kono is running your coordinates."

"Alright, listen we need a rescue team as soon as possible."

I'll call in Army evac."

"We also need a crime scene unit."

"Wait, what?" Kono asks, her confusion evident. "I thought this was a rescue mission, what's a body doing way out there?"

"What's a body doing-? I don't know. Male mid fifties. Doesn't look like a hiker."

"Alright I'll send a crime scene unit."

"Army evac is on its way." Chin states.

"Alright, I'm heading back." Danny hangs up the phone and runs back to where he left Steve. It takes him probably twenty minutes to get back to the petroglyphs. Steve is still lying in the same position as he was when Danny left so Danny assumes that he hasn't woken up yet. If he has, he wasn't aware enough or able to move.

"Steve! Can you hear me?" Danny yells down to him. He still doesn't get a reply. Danny really wants to go down there to make sure his friend is still alive but there isn't a safe way for Danny to go. The rope snagged on a broken branch and even if it were free, Steve only brought one harness. The cliff is too steep for Danny to free climb down so that option is out. He'll just have to wait for the medevac.

After a few minutes he hears the distinct sounds of a helicopter approaching. Looking toward the sky, Danny can see the chopper coming over the tree ridge. He starts waving his arms and when he is sure he has the attention of one of the Army guys. He motions down to where Steve is laying. He watches impatiently as two Army medics are lowered down to Steve's position. After they detach from the cable, a third soldier is lowered down to where Danny is.

"Are you alright, Detective?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Do you know how Steve is?"

"Commander McGarrett is alive, but unconscious. They are going to get him stabilized and prepped for transport and then get him on the chopper. In the mean time, I need to take you on board." The soldier then fastens Danny into the awaiting harness and signals for the guys in the helicopter to raise them up. Danny's eyes never leave Steve.

The two medics fasten a c-collar around Steve's neck before carefully moving him away from the edge and rolling him onto a backboard. Together, they carefully check Steve over for other injuries. It appears the only thing they find is a broken left arm. They place a splint on his arm before fastening the straps the backboard. One medic signals for the guys in the helicopter to lower the basket. Steve is lifted into the basket and then secured before being raised up into the chopper.

Within minutes, they have Steve and the two medics on board and are flying to the nearest hospital. Danny watches in morbid fascination as the medics take care of Steve. One is monitoring his vital signs and the other is placing an IV line in his right arm.

"Pupils nonreactive and I got blood coming from his ear." The first medic, Brewer, according to the patch on his uniform, said. Prewitt, the other medic, makes note of that on the chart he is writing the vital signs on.

"What's our ETA?" Brewer yells to the pilot.

"Eight minutes to Tripler. Five to Queens. Which one?" The pilot yells back.

"Queens! Commander McGarrett has serious head trauma. He needs a hospital ASAP! Queens has the best trauma center on the island."

Danny is terrified. He has taken enough first aid classes to know that bleeding from the ear is a bad sign of serious head injuries. He also realizes that there isn't any swelling or lumps on Steve's head. Also not a good sign. He remembers from his first aid classes that a goose egg where the hit was indicates that the damage is all outside the skull. No goose eggs or external swelling after a hit as hard as the one Steve took tells them that the swelling could be inside.

They are three minutes from the hospital when Steve starts seizing. The two medics work quickly to get Steve turned on his side and start injecting medications into his IV line to try to get the seizure to stop. When they land on the helo pad at the hospital, Steve is still seizing. Danny follows them inside but is stopped by a nurse when they reach the trauma room doors.

"I'm sorry, Sir; but you can't go in there."

"He's my partner. I need to know he's ok." Danny is still trying to get past her and into the trauma room.

"Sir, as soon as there is news on your partner's condition someone will be out to inform you but until then, the doctors need room to work and they can't do that if you are in the way."

Danny knows she is right but he still doesn't like the fact that he can't be there with Steve right now. He can see into the room through the glass window and is pleased to see that Steve has finally stopped seizing. He lets the nurse show him to the waiting room where he spends the next two hours waiting with Chin and Kono.

After two hours, they are informed that Steve has been taken up to surgery. They move up to the surgical waiting room and resume waiting for news on Steve's condition.

After seven hours and countless cups of bad hospital coffee, a doctor dressed in dark blue surgical scrubs finally emerges from the closed doors.

"Family of Steve McGarrett?" He calls.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Danny is on his feet in less than a second. "That's us. How is he?"

"I'm Doctor Freeman, Commander McGarrett's neurosurgeon, please sit." Danny, Chin, and Kono resume their seats and Dr. Freeman pulls one of the other chairs around and sits down in front of them. 

"How's Steve?" Danny asked again. 

"Commander McGarrett made it through surgery. He suffered from a subdural hematoma-bleeding on the brain-so we performed a craniotomy to stop the bleeding. The surgery went well, with no complications. We inserted an ICP monitor to monitor the pressure on his brain, as well as the swelling. We will remove that after several days when the pressure in his skull returns to an acceptable level. He also has a small hairline skull fracture. We are going to keep him in a drug induced coma for a few days to give his brain and body a chance to heal."

"How long?" Danny asked.

"Most likely four to five days and then we will lighten the sedatives and let him wake up slowly. After the drugs wear off it could be a matter of hours or several days before he is fully awake."

"What about his other injuries?"

"Commander McGarrett sustained a fracture to the C-6 vertebra. He is very lucky however, it is a minor fracture and did not affect his spinal cord at all. He will have to wear a neck brace for a few weeks but it will heal completely and shouldn’t give him any further problems. His left forearm was also fractured; we set the bone with a couple screws and a plate and put his arm in a cast. It should heal fully in 4-6 weeks. The rest of the Commander's injuries are relatively minor. He has extensive bruising on his left side and back and while that will be painful it isn’t life threatening, by the time he is conscious again it shouldn’t be much of an issue for him. He also has some nasty scrapes on his right arm and along his left side. We cleaned the wounds and placed a few stitches in the deepest spots."

"How many is a few?"

"In total, including the staples used to close up the incision site? 61."

Chin let out a low whistle. That is a lot of stitches.

"Can we see him?"

"He's getting settled in the ICU now. We will be monitoring him closely for the next few days. I'll have a nurse take you to him as soon as he is ready. Now if you'll excuse me, I have another surgery scheduled. If you have any questions feel free to let the nurses know and they can page me for you."

"Thank you Dr. Freeman." Danny shakes his hand and the doctor is heading back through the doors he came from. 

It's another thirty minutes before a nurse comes to take them to Steve. As they walk to Steve's ICU cubical, the nurse explains to them that they each have 10 minutes and not a second longer as visiting hours are almost over for the day. She also explains that Steve will look much different than usual. He is on a ventilator and will continue to be until they stop the sedation. They finally reach his glass encased cubical and the three remaining members of Five-0 are taken aback by how fragile their tough as nails boss looks. 

Steve's normally tan complexion is now almost as pale as the pillow case. He has a ventilator tube snaking out of his mouth and his head is wrapped in bulky bandages, there is a thin white tube snaking out from the bandage that is connected to a monitor. The left side of his face is now bruised and swollen and Danny can see the scrapes by Steve's eye brow and on his cheek. His left eye is swollen completely shut. His neck is encased in a gray rigid brace and his left forearm is covered in white fiberglass and resting on a pillow. 

Danny lets Chin and Kono take their turns first. He opts to go last in the hopes that he may be able to get a few extra minutes in. Danny finally gets his turn and he takes a seat in the uncomfortable chair on the right side of the hospital bed. He carefully takes Steve's hand, avoiding the IV line. 

"Hey Steve. You really did it this time. You better bounce back from this-sooner rather than later. If you check out on me I will personally bring you back from the grave and kill you again myself." Danny was quiet for a few minutes, "God Steve, I'm so sorry. If I hadn't let go of the rope you wouldn't be in here right now."

Danny is speechless. He can't think of anything else to say right now. He squeezes Steve's hand and just sits there, watching the mechanical rise and fall of Steve's chest. Danny sits there and holds Steve's hand until a nurse comes in and kicks him out, telling him he can return at 10 am the following morning.

-H50-

Danny, Chin, and Kono spend the next three days trading off time sitting with Steve and working the case. They quickly get on first name basis with the nurses. Even though they know Steve won't wake up for a while and likely doesn't even know that they are there, they still try to spend as much time at the hospital with him as they are allowed and able. After three days, they manage to solve the case of the body found in the jungle. 

After the case is closed and the paperwork is filed, Governor Jameson gives Five-0 several days off to deal with what happened to Steve and give Chin and Kono time to spend with their family after their Aunt died. 

Five days after the accident, Dr. Freeman finally decides that Steve's intracranial pressure is at an acceptable level to bring him out of the drug induced coma. It’s rather anticlimactic as there isn’t any change in Steve's condition when the drugs leave his system. The ventilator is still in place since Steve hasn't started taking breaths on his own yet. 

Danny is currently sitting at Steve's bedside reading a Sports Illustrated magazine out loud. They are hoping that having someone talk to him will give him a little prompting to wake up. Steve looks better than he did five days ago but still doesn't look like himself. The bulky bandage wrapped around his head has been downsized to a smaller, less bulky bandage. The swelling on Steve's face has gone down, leaving a myriad of blue and purple bruises. His left eye is still swollen but looks much better than it did. When Steve wakes up, he may actually be able to open it slightly. 

Danny reads for a couple hours until he finishes the magazine. He looks at Steve who still hasn't shown any signs of waking up. Danny grabs his hand and gives it a squeeze. 

"Come on, Steve. You need to wake up soon. Gracie keeps asking me when she can see Uncle Steve again. That isn't going to happen until you open your eyes and start telling me you are fine. So you better wake up soon because you know how much Grace likes waiting. She's worried about you…We all are."

"We figured out what that body was doing out by the petroglyphs. He witnessed Donald Rutherford smuggling his son Jordan, The Spring Break Strangler, out of the country to Hong Kong. He was trying to protect his son. Said his son made a stupid mistake. Murder is not a stupid mistake. Anyway, the US Marshalls extradited him back to Hawaii. Donald Rutherford killed Jack Leung before he could go to the authorities and tell them what he saw.

Leave it to you to find a body in the middle of the jungle during a hike on our day off. You know, I'll deny this if anyone asks, but I really did have a good time on the hike. Up until we found the body and you ended up here anyway…I'm really glad you decided to share that piece of your childhood with me. I know you don't like talking about your dad much, but I'm really glad you did. Maybe when you wake up and break out of here we can go back there for another hit, only without the whole finding a body and you falling off a cliff part."

Danny feels a light squeeze against his hand. His eyes fly to Steve’s face. "Steve? Can you hear me?"

Danny waits but doesn't feel another squeeze, Steve's eyes don’t open but he can see them moving beneath the lids. "Steve, squeeze my hand if you can hear me." Danny demanded. 

He starts to think that maybe he'd just imagined the hand squeeze after a few moments with no response but finally, just as Danny was about to let go of his hand, he felt another squeeze. Just then a nurse comes into the room. 

"How's our patient today, Detective?"

"He just squeezed my hand."

The nurse, Amy, studied the monitors and checks his pupils before making some notes in his chart. She leans over him and says, "Steve, squeeze my hand if you can hear me."

It takes a few long seconds for Steve to respond but there is definitely a light, if barely there, squeeze. 

"This is wonderful! All his vitals are looking good; it’s great that he’s responding to us."

"Does this mean he's going to wake up soon?"

"It's definitely encouraging; but it could still be a few days before he's awake." Amy says as she starts the routine of setting up Steve's feeding tube. It takes about ten minutes for Amy to get everything connected and working properly. "If you need anything just put the call light on."

"Thanks" Danny says. He sits back and looks at Steve again. "Of course you would choose the moment I start telling you that I want to go back to the petroglyphs to start waking up and listen to what I am saying. There's no way I'm getting out of a trip back to the petroglyphs, is there Steven?"

Steve squeezes Danny's hand again and Danny lets out a chuckle. "You better hurry up and open your eyes then, Steve."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It's been three days since Steve first squeezed Danny's hand. He is showing more and more signs of waking up. He will open his eyes and track movements if they are within his line of sight since he can't move his head. He follows basic commands and when his body finally started taking spontaneous breaths on its own he starts reaching for the ventilator tube with his casted arm. Dr. Freeman expects to have Steve weaned off it completely later in the afternoon. He took out the ICP monitor the day before. 

Danny is sitting with Steve again. He sent the cousins out to get some fresh air and bring back some sandwiches for lunch. They are hoping that Steve will wake up fully today. Dr. Freeman thinks it will be anytime now. 

Danny is in the middle of telling him about Grace's latest surfing lesson. She finally managed to get up on a board and ride a full wave back to shore without falling off. Suddenly Steve's heart monitor speeds up, Danny looks up at Steve's face. His eyes are open, searching the room; he has a panicked expression on his face. 

"Steve? Can you hear me?" Steve focuses on Danny and squeezes Danny's hand. He still looks panicked and is starting to fight the ventilator. He pulls his hand away from Danny's and starts reaching for the ventilator tube. Danny intercepts the casted extremity and gives his hand a gentle squeeze. He uses his other hand to press the call button clipped to the bed. 

"The tube is there to help, Steve. You need to calm down. I called for a nurse and hopefully they can take that pesky tube out. Do you understand, Steve? Blink once if you understand what I'm saying." Steve blinks once, he still looks panicked but not nearly as much as he did a minute ago. 

"It's good to finally see you awake, Commander McGarrett." Dr. Freeman says as he enters the room with Amy trailing behind him. "I'm going to check you over and then we can remove the tube okay?"

Steve blinked once again after realizing there was something around his neck that was preventing him from nodding. 

Dr. Freeman took out a penlight and shined it in Steve's eyes then had him follow the light with his eyes. After checking the monitors over and making a few notes in the chart Dr. Freeman finally decides that Steve is ready to be taken off the ventilator. 

He switches off the machine, disconnects the ventilator from the tube, and unfastens the strap behind Steve’s head that was holding the tube in place, "Okay, Steve. I want you to take a deep breath and blow out when I tell you to." Dr. Freeman takes a hold of the tube and prepares to pull it out. "Okay, Steve, blow."

Steve blows out as hard as he can and Dr. Freeman removes the tube, leaving Steve coughing and breathing hard. Amy quickly places a nasal cannula under his nose and spoons a couple ice chips into his mouth. Steve sucks greedily on the ice chips.

"How are you feeling Steve?" Dr. Freeman asks.

"Head hur's. dired." Steve slurs. His voice is barely a whisper.

"That's to be expected. Amy will give you something for the pain as soon as we are done. Do you know where you are Steve?"

"Hospil. Wha' hap…end?" he slurred again.

"You had a climbing accident. Can you tell me who that is, Steve?" Dr. Freeman pointed at Danny.

"Dan...ny."

"Good. And what month and year is it?"

Steve has to think about that for a minute, he feels so confused and disoriented right now he isn't sure if he would know up from down. "Aprl two thou 'leven?"

"That’s right." Dr. Freeman smiles and takes Steve's left hand, "I want you to squeeze my hand as hard as you can." Steve does as he's told and then Dr. Freeman repeats the process with his right hand. "Can you squeeze harder, Steve?" Dr. Freeman frowns as Steve squeezes his hand again; he moves to the end of the bed and pulls the blanket away from Steve's feet. He puts his hands against the bottoms of Steve's feet, "Alright Steve, I want you to push my hands away." Nothing happens and Danny is afraid that Steve can't when he realizes that Steve fell asleep on them. 

"Hey, Steve." Danny shakes his shoulder, "Wake up Bud. You can sleep in a few minutes but right now you need to do as Dr. Freeman says. Okay?"

"Kay." Steve's eyes flutter open.

"Push against my hands with your feet, Steve." instructs Dr. Freeman. 

Steve does as he's told. It’s obvious that Steve's left foot moves more than his right. "Good job, Steve. Amy will give you something for the headache, you can go back to sleep now."

"Dannodongo." Steve slurs when Amy injects his IV with the pain meds. 

Danny takes Steve's hand, "I'll be here when you wake up, Steve. I'm just going to step out and call Chin and Kono. I'll be back in a minute."

"Kay." Steve says as he drifts off to sleep. 

Danny follows Dr. Freeman out to the hall. "How's he doing, Doc?"

"All things considered, very well. Unsurprisingly, Steve has some weakness on his right side as a result of the surgery on the left side of the brain but with some physical therapy he should make a full recovery."

“Unsurprisingly?” Danny asks

“Weakness on one side of the body is a common side effect of brain surgery. I was starting to suspect Steve may have some right side weakness when he kept reaching for the ventilator tube with his left hand rather than his right considering his right hand is dominant.”

"What about his speech? He was really slurring his words."

"His slurred speech could just be from being so out of it right now but it also could be another side effect of the surgery. My guess is that it is a little of both. We won't know until he is more awake and coherent but he doesn't seem to be suffering any brain damage. Regardless, he will probably need some speech therapy along with the physical therapy to recover fully."

"But he will make a full recovery? This won't stop him from returning to work right?"

"It will take some time and a lot of hard work on his part, but he will be back to normal in a few months baring no further complications. If you'll excuse me I have another patient I need to check on. I'll be back to check on Steve this evening. If you have any questions for me, you can ask one of the nurses to page me."

"Thank you, Dr. Freeman," Danny says before pulling his phone out to call Chin. Just as he's about to dial the number, Chin and Kono exit the elevator, carrying bags from the deli down the street. 

Upon seeing Danny standing out in the hall, the cousins rush toward him.

"Is Steve okay?" Kono asks in a panic.

"Relax, Kono. Steve is fine. He woke up." Danny smiles and he can see the relief flowing through Chin and Kono.

"How's he doing?"

"He's sleeping now. He woke up about half an hour ago with a massive headache. Dr. Freeman doesn’t think there is any brain damage but he's suffering a few side effects from the surgery."

"Like what?"

"He's got some weakness on his right side and his speech is slurred. The slurred speech may just be from how out of it he was though, it’s too soon to tell. He should make a full recovery with some physical and speech therapy but it will take some time."

"That's good to hear, Danny. Can we see him?"

"Yeah, I was just out here talking to Dr. Freeman."

The trio enters Steve's room together. As expected, Steve is sleeping soundly. They sit together and eat their sandwiches while talking quietly. 

Steve finally comes around again early that evening. Chin and Kono are sitting by the bedside. Danny stepped out a few minutes earlier to take a call from Grace. 

"Hey, Brah. Good to see you awake!" Chin leans over into Steve's line of sight and smiles when he hears Steve make a small noise and his eyes flutter open. 

"Hey, Chin. Ko..no." Steve smiles slightly and glances around the room, “Where's Danny?" 

"He's on the phone with Grace. He'll be back in a few minutes. How are you feeling?"

"'Kay, head sill hur's...Wha' happ'nd?" Steve's voice is raspy and it looks like it pains him to talk. 

"You remember going for a hike with Danny to see the petroglyphs?" Kono asks.

"Yeah." Steve winces and swallows. His throat is extremely sore from the breathing tube.

Kono spoons a few ice chips into his mouth. He smiles in thanks. 

"You two found a body on a ledge below the petroglyphs. You climbed down to check it out and on the way back up a rock came loose and clobbered you in the head. You fell about thirty feet and landed on the ledge. We got Army Medevac to get you out and bring you here. You've been in a coma for the last eight days."

"Danny kay?" Steve asks, voice full of concern.

"He's fine, brah, just worried about you." Kono reassures him.

"Wha's... ta damage?"

"You suffered from a subdural hematoma and underwent surgery to stop the bleeding. You also have a fractured vertebra in your neck but don't worry, it didn’t do any damage to your spinal cord. You just have to wear that brace for the next six to eight weeks. You also have a broken arm and some nasty scrapes and bruises on your side and back."

"Why can' I dak?"

"Dr. Freeman says it’s a side effect of the surgery. With some speech therapy you should be back to normal in no time. You also have some weakness on your right side but the doctor says that should be remedied with some physical therapy."

Just then Danny walks back into the room, he lights up when he sees that Steve is awake. "Hey Steve! It’s good to see you awake again!"

Steve smiles at Danny, "Hey…Danny."

"How are you feeling?"

Steve gives a slight shrug, "o..kay."

"Liar." Danny states with a smile. 

"Feel o..kay. dired b' not… really 'n...pain. You…kay?"

Steve's speech is slightly better than it was before but it’s still slurred. Danny can tell Steve is making an effort to speak more clearly but just can't quite form the words correctly. He looks like he's fighting sleep. Danny lays his hand on Steve's unbroken arm, "Yeah, Steve. I'm okay. You should get some more rest."

Steve actually does as he's told for once and a few seconds later is asleep again. 

"How long was he awake for?" Danny asks.

Chin checks his watch, "About fifteen minutes or so. He woke up not long after you left."

"His speech is a little better than it was but I could tell he was really having to work at it."

"How soon are they going to start therapy?" Kono asks. 

"The doctor didn't say but hopefully soon. Dr. Freeman said it would probably take a few months for Steve to be back at one hundred percent. Steve is going to hate that."

"You know how Steve is, he will probably set out to prove the doc wrong and be back to normal in a few weeks." Chin laughed. 

"That's true, Cuz. Steve won't let this keep him down for long."

A few minutes later the nurse entered to check Steve over and let them know visiting hours were over and that they could return in the morning at 8.

"He was awake again a few minutes ago but it wasn't for very long. His speech was a little less slurred but he was trying really hard to get it that way." Danny stated. He knew they probably should have called her in there when Steve was awake but they were too excited to see him a little more coherent that he was earlier. 

"Thanks for letting me know. A speech therapist will probably be in to see him tomorrow afternoon; but it’s a good sign that he was speaking more clearly, even if he had to work at it. Steve will also have a visit from physical therapy tomorrow too. The sooner they start working on regaining his strength the better. I expect sometime tomorrow he will be moved out of the ICU to a regular room since he's no longer on the ventilator, providing everything remains stable overnight."

"That's great." Danny smiles at the news. He will be glad to see Steve in a regular room rather than the cold glass cubicle of the ICU.

Amy returns the smile, "Now if you'll excuse me I need to check Steve over before shift change."

"Someone'll call if anything happens over night?" Danny asks.

"Of course, Danny. Your number is at the desk and the night nurse knows to call you if anything changes."

"Thank you, Amy."

"You're welcome. Have a good night."

"Thanks, you too." Danny turns and heads out the door. He's relieved that Steve finally woke up after more than a week of being in a coma, although he is still worried about the side effects of the surgery that Steve is suffering from. Dr. Freeman assured him that Steve would make a full recovery but Danny can't help but worry about his best friend. Danny falls into bed as soon as he gets home and sleeps his first full night of restful sleep since before Steve got hurt. 

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It’s been three days since Steve woke up. The day after he woke, they moved him out of the ICU to a private room. He's been having speech and physical therapy several times a day for the last three days. His speech has improved tremendously but it’s still not fully back to normal yet, some of his words still slur together and he talks slower than normal, especially when he’s tired. The progress on regaining strength on his right side is slow going. Steve can barely lift his right arm to feed himself and even then he only manages a few bites before he gets too tired to continue. It frustrates him and he refuses to eat more if he can't do it himself-not that he has much of an appetite anyway; which is why he still has the NG feeding tube in. One of his IV's has been taken out but the Foley is still in. Steve isn't strong enough to get out of bed yet. All his therapy is done in his room with him lying or sitting propped up in bed. He gets very nauseous and dizzy if he sits up for too long thanks to his head injury. Dr. Freeman says it should get better in the next few days. 

Five-0 still hasn't been assigned any new cases so the team is pretty much free to come and go as they please. They go into the office for a bit and then head to the hospital to see Steve when the paperwork gets too mundane. 

Steve appears to be asleep when Danny arrives at the hospital. Danny takes a seat next to his bed and pulls out the latest edition of Sports Illustrated. He starts flipping through pages but mostly he just watches Steve over the top of the magazine. He can tell Steve is only pretending to be asleep. His breathing is too irregular and every so often Steve squeezes his eyes shut tighter. His forehead is wrinkled in pain. 

"Hey, Steve. I know you aren’t asleep what's wrong?" Danny doesn't get an answer but Steve squeezes his eyes shut tighter.

"What's wrong Steve? Come on talk to me. Are you in pain?"

"No."

"What's going on then?" Danny asks in concern.

Steve opens his eyes to look at Danny. "Somethin's not right. Dunno what. Don’ feel good." 

Danny sees fear and confusion in Steve's face when he finally looks at him. 

Steve is about to say something else when his eyes roll back and he starts to convulse. 

Danny barely pushes the call button before two nurses come rushing in. Danny watches his horror as they tend to a still convulsing Steve. A few more people enter the room and Danny is unceremoniously pushed into the hall. 

Danny waited for almost ten minutes before Dr. Freeman came out of the room. 

"What's going on Doc?" 

"Steve suffered a grand mal seizure. We are prepping him for a CT scan and EEG now."

"What caused the seizure? Steve said he felt weird before it happened."

"At this point, my best guess is that it is a result of the head trauma and subsequent surgery. We are doing the CT scan to rule out a spontaneous bleed. Did Steve complain of increased pain or dizziness before the seizure?"

"Not really, I noticed he was pretending to still be asleep when I was in there, he had his eyes squeezed shut tight. I asked him what was wrong but he just said he didn't feel right. He said something was wrong but didn't know what. Then he moaned and his eyes rolled to the back of his head right before he started seizing."

Sarah, Steve's primary nurse for the day, steps out of Steve's room, "We are ready to transport him to radiology Dr. Freeman."

"Good, I'll go downstairs with him for the scan. Danny, you can wait here for our return. I will let you know the results of the scan as soon as I have them."

Danny nods and watches and Dr. Freeman and a couple orderlies push Steve's gurney toward the elevator. After the doors close, Danny heads back into Steve's room and attempts to resume reading his magazine.

Danny waits for over an hour before Steve is brought back to his room, he appears to be sleeping as he doesn't stir when they transfer him from the gurney back to his bed. A few minutes later Dr. Freeman enters. 

"What's the news Doc? How's he doing?"

"Steve did not suffer a spontaneous bleed. He woke up briefly during the scan so we gave him a light sedative; he is sleeping now and will probably sleep for several hours. It appears that the seizure is a result of the trauma and surgery."

"Is he going to suffer seizures for the rest of his life?"

"It’s possible that Steve has developed Post-traumatic epilepsy but it is also possible that this was a spontaneous occurrence. His EEG was inconclusive, so we will do another in a couple days. We have increased his dose of anticonvulsants in the hopes to prevent any more seizures but anticonvulsants don't always work with PTE."

"How is this going to affect his career? Will he still be able to run Five-0?" Danny was full of questions and very concerned for how his friend will deal with this if he does end up have seizures for the rest of his life.

"As long as we can get the seizures under control with anticonvulsant medication he should be able to return to Five-0 in full capacity. He will have to be seizure free for at least 6 months before he is allowed to drive again and allowed back in the field. As for his Naval career, it will unfortunately mean a medical discharge if he does have PTE."

"Steve isn't going to handle that very well."

"Right now it’s too soon to tell if this seizure was a onetime deal or if he has PTE. We will monitor his condition and if need be increase his dose of anticonvulsants again to get the seizures under control if he continues to have more. For now we just have to wait and see. Do you have any more questions for me?"

"Not right now. Thanks, Doc."

"You're welcome Danny. If you think of any other questions just ask the nurse to contact me and I will be more than happy to answer them, otherwise I'll stop back to see how Steve is doing in the morning."

"Thank you, Dr. Freeman. See you tomorrow."

"Good night, Danny."

Danny sits down next to Steve's bed; he appears to be sleeping peacefully. Danny knows how much being a SEAL and the Navy mean to Steve. To think that Steve came back healthy and whole after three years in Afghanistan and numerous dangerous SEAL missions only to be taken out by a climbing accident on his day off makes Danny sick. He is really hoping this seizure was just a onetime deal. 

He stays with Steve for another couple of hours and is about ready to head home for the night when Steve wakes up. 

"Hey, Steve. How are you feeling?"

"Tired…have a headache again. Wha’ happend? Water?" Steve's voice is rough with sleep and he isn’t really awake yet; he fumbles with the bed control to raise his head up a bit. 

Danny pours a fresh glass from the pitcher by the bed and hands it to Steve. He puts it back on the bedside table when Steve is done. "You had a grand mal seizure. Dr. Freeman sent you for a CT scan but he doesn't know yet if it was a single random occurrence or if you have Post-traumatic epilepsy."

Steve closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, "Epilepsy?"

Danny nods, "They ran some tests but didn’t get any conclusive results yet. They upped your dose of anticonvulsants and will monitor for more seizures and repeat the tests in a few days. Right now it’s too soon to tell if you have PTE or not."

"This is gonna end my career, Danny; both with Five-0 and the Navy." Steve is more awake now so his speech is better but still slightly slurred.

"Maybe not. Dr. Freeman said that if it is PTE you'll still be able to head Five-0 if they can control the seizures with medications. He said that if you are seizure free after six months you'll be able to drive and go into the field and do everything you normally do."

"It'll still mean a medical discharge from the Navy."

"Yeah, that’s true. But there is always the chance that it’s not PTE. And no matter what happens, you'll always have me, Grace, Chin, and Kono. Right now we just have to take it one day at a time."

"Yeah, thanks Danny." Steve closes his eyes and Danny can tell he's fighting sleep but also that he is still trying to process everything.

"Why don’t you go back to sleep Steve? I'll come by again tomorrow morning. Chin and Kono will stop by too."

"Night Danno." Steve says with his eyes still closed.

"Good night, brother." Danny left as soon as he was sure Steve was sleeping comfortably.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Steve is finally making progress on regaining his strength on his right side. Two days after his seizure he makes his first trip out of bed since the accident. It’s just a short trip to the bathroom in a wheelchair after removing the Foley to get cleaned up a bit and changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt but its progress none the less. He is able to stand and pivot into the chair and back to the bed. Steve still suffers from dizziness and nausea but it’s not as severe as it was when he first woke up. It’s tolerable but still annoying. 

Steve is happy to be in something more comfortable and covering than a hospital gown. He feels much better after having his first shower in two weeks, not to mention a good shave. The nurses had shaved his beard with an electric razor several times while he was out but it wasn't a very close shave. Steve hates electric razors with a passion; they don’t do a very good job and generally tend to irritate his skin. He manage to do most of his shave on his own today but had to have Sarah help finish and touch up when his arm started to shake from the effort. His right arm is much stronger than it was when he woke up but it still tires easily; he is making progress and will probably be back to full strength in another couple weeks. Steve's right leg is still very weak, he barely managed to hold his weight up on it when he stood to pivot into the chair and he can forget walking for a while. 

He is currently sitting up in bed pushing his lunch around on his plate. It's dried up chicken, mashed potatoes, what looks like used to be steamed broccoli before it was steamed to mush, and green Jello. Sure Steve has eaten things that look a lot worse than this when he was on missions with his SEAL team and lived off MREs for weeks. Right now though, he doesn't have much of an appetite. He manages the Jello and a few bites of potatoes before he pushes the table away. He doesn't really care for Jello but it’s a better alternative to the broccoli or chicken. 

Steve runs a hand through the short fuzz covering his head. His hair is starting to grow back after it was shaved from the surgery but it hasn't been this short since he was in BUD/S. He leans back and sighs, his therapist is going to come get him to take him down to rehab in about an hour. It will be his first time doing rehab out of bed, Steve is ready for the new challenge because its one step closer to getting out of this place but at the same time all he wants to do right now is sleep. Getting out of bed this morning really wore him out. He doesn’t really feel like getting out of bed again and is kind of crabby at the moment. He is really irritated with his body right now. Steve isn’t used to being spent after simply taking a shower. He is about to drop off for a nap when Danny comes in. 

"Hey, Steve, you're looking better. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Danny." Steve replies curtly. 

"They got you out of bed this morning?"

"What does it look like?"

"Jeez, who pissed in your cheerios this morning?"

"Fuck you." 

Danny puts his hands up in an 'I surrender' gesture.

Steve sighed, "Sorry, Danny. I'm just tired and frustrated."

"Yeah, I know, Steve. This hasn't been easy for you, but you just need to be patient. You'll be back to normal in no time. How are you doing right now? Do you need some pain medication?"

"No, not right now. I took something before I got up. I just have a constant headache and my neck is stiff, feels like my head is going to fall off. How long did Dr. Freeman say I have to wear the brace?"

"6-8 weeks." Steve sighs again. "Look, I know it must be frustrating not being able to move your head and neck, but you could be paralyzed right now Steve. Be glad that you just have to wear a neck brace for awhile and don't have to learn how to live life in a wheelchair."

"I know, Danny. And believe me, no one is more grateful for that than I am. I'm just annoyed with everything. I can't walk, I can barely feed myself, I have no appetite, I can barely keep anything down even if I can eat because I'm so nauseous and dizzy all the time, and I may not be able to go back to my old life if I have more seizures. I'm just scared and frustrated Danny, and I'm sorry I took it out on you."

Danny is shocked that Steve just admitted to being scared. He knew it was true, even before Steve said it but the fact that Steve just admitted it out loud boggles Danny. Steve is always so strong and never shares emotions like that with anyone. Steve's emotional state has been off since he woke up; he's more compliant and doesn't hide his emotions as well as he normally does. 

"It's alright, Steve. You know I'm always here for you if you need to talk or vent or whatever-Chin and Kono too. And like I said last night, no matter what happens, seizures or not, we'll always be here for you."

Steve smiles, "Yeah, thanks Danny."

"You're welcome. Now what's this I hear about you getting up for rehab later?"

"Stacy and Dr. Freeman decided it’s finally safe for me to get out of bed. Stacy is gonna come get me up in a bit to start rehab on my leg.”

“Does this mean you aren’t dizzy anymore?”

“No, I still get dizzy when I sit up but it’s not as bad as it was a few days ago and it goes away after a minute or two so I'm not gonna pass out if I'm up for too long anymore."

"That’s great, man!"

Before Steve can reply, Stacy, Steve's physical therapist, enters the room with a wheelchair. "Are you ready to get up Steve?"

"Yeah, I am. Let’s do this." 

Danny steps out of the way and Stacy lines the wheelchair up next to the bed. 

"Alright Steve, I want you to sit up slowly on the edge of the bed and get your bearings before you try to stand. I'm going to put a gait belt around you for safety so I have something to hold while we transfer." Stacy helps Steve get his legs over the side of the bed so they are dangling, she fastens a gait belt around his waist and tightens it enough so it is snug around his waist but can still get her hand through. She then slides a pair of hospital slippers on his feet. 

"When you are ready I want you to slide forward so your feet are on the floor and stand slowly." Steve does as he is told; he slides forward so his feet are flat on the ground and pushes himself up after a couple seconds. "You're doing great, Steve."

Steve grabs the arm rest of the wheelchair and shuffles forward slightly with his left foot before pivoting and sitting down in the chair.

"Good job, Steve! We'll go downstairs and start some exercises to strengthen your leg. You'll be back on your feet in no time!"

Steve gives her a tight smile and closes his eyes as a wave of dizziness washes over him. It passes after about a minute. 

"How's the dizziness? Nausea?"

He takes a couple deep breaths, "It’s gone now. Feel ok."

"Alright you ready to go? We will keep this one on the short side since it’s your first time out of bed for any length of time."

"Let's go." Steve says with a small smile. 

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

By the time Steve is done with his physical therapy session for the day he is exhausted and sweaty; but his leg is already feeling stronger, although that may be more psychological than physical, either way Steve isn't going to complain. Stacy helps him clean up a bit and change into a fresh t-shirt and pair of shorts before she helps him settle back into bed where he promptly takes a long nap. He doesn't wake up again until it’s time for supper and Sarah brings in his super tray. 

"Did you have a nice nap, Steve?" Sarah asks as she sets the tray down on the table and rolls it over the bed. 

"Yeah, I was exhausted. What's for supper tonight?" He asks as he raises the head of his bed.

"Fish sticks, steamed mixed veggies, and red Jello." She replies. Steve makes a face. "I never would have pegged you for a picky eater." She says with a smile.

"I'm not a picky eater, it’s just fish sticks? Really, they are an insult to real fish."

Sarah laughs, "I have to agree with you on that. How about I go down to the cafeteria and see if I can find something more appetizing for you if it means you'll eat it? You need to start eating more if you want to have the NG tube removed."

"I know, I just haven't been very hungry since I woke up and when I do manage to eat I usually end up getting sick."

"Is there anything that sounds appetizing that you think you can keep down?"

Steve thinks for a minute and finally decides on what his mom used to give him when he was a kid and had an upset stomach, "Maybe some yogurt, toast, and peppermint tea."

"That shouldn't be a problem; I will be back in a few minutes." Sarah takes the supper tray and leaves the room.

Sarah comes back a few minutes later with some vanilla yogurt, toast, tea, and a small can of ginger ale. Steve thanks her and manages to eat most of it before he decides his stomach can't handle any more. He feels slightly sick but he doesn't think his supper is going to make a second appearance. Steve is just pushing the table away when he hears a knock on the door and Chin and Kono enter. 

"Hey, Boss! How are you feeling?" Kono greets him followed by a "Howzit Brah?" from Chin. 

Steve smiles, "Hey guys, I'm good Kono. Thanks for stopping by. How are things at the office?"

"Quiet. We haven't had any new cases since you and Danny found the body."

"Did you solve that one?" Steve can't remember if they told him the details of the case or not.

Kono and Chin spend the next hour filling him in on the Jack Leung murder case. As they are wrapping up, Chin notices that Steve has a faraway look in his eyes.

"Hey, you ok Steve?" Chin doesn't get a response from Steve, instead his eyes roll back and he starts seizing. 

"Kono go get the nurse!" Chin orders as he turns Steve on his side. 

Much like a few days ago, two nurses enter the room but instead of Danny being pushed into the hall, Chin and Kono get pushed out. 

Chin decides to call Danny and let him know what's going on. They all know this doesn't bode well for Steve and his future with Five-0 or the Navy. But they aren't going to lose hope on him. 

"How's he doing?" Chin asks when Julia, Steve's night nurse, emerges from the room twenty minutes later. 

"He regained consciousness after the seizure but he's sleeping right now and it is likely that he will sleep the rest of the night. Seizures like that take a lot out of the body and require a lot of sleep to recover from."

"What caused the seizure?" Kono asks.

"It's probably a result of the head trauma. Dr. Freeman ordered some more tests so hopefully we will find out more when we get the test results back. Dr. Freeman wants a MRI tonight so we will be taking him down for that as soon as we get him cleaned up."

"Can we wait up here for him to come back?"

"Of course. It will probably take a couple hours for the scan and other tests. You can wait in his room or you can come back in a bit."

"We'll wait here for him." Chin says. 

Chin and Kono settle in in Steve's hospital room to wait for his return. Danny shows up a few minutes after they take Steve for the tests. It takes almost two and a half hours before Steve is brought back to his room. The trio steps out for a few minutes as they transfer Steve back to his bed and get him settled comfortably. 

Julia informs them that they will get the test results back in the morning and that Dr. Freeman will go over them as soon as he gets them. 

Steve is sleeping; he has a nasal cannula under his nose for oxygen again and has been changed into a hospital gown. Julia explained that his O2 sats dropped during and after the seizure so they will keep him on oxygen for the night to bring his sats back up. He also notices that Steve's NG tube is hooked up to the supplement again. Steve has lost weight since the accident, after being in a coma for 8 days and not being able to keep much down since he woke up has taken its toll on Steve's weight. Danny knows that Steve managed to eat some supper and that it stayed down fine until the seizure. Hopefully tomorrow he will manage to eat and keep it down.

They sit with Steve for an hour or so after he is brought back but he shows no signs of waking. Chin and Kono head out for the night after Danny decides that he is going to stay overnight with Steve. He falls asleep in the chair next to Steve's bed shortly after eleven and is woken up a little after two by a grunt followed by rattling. Steve is having another seizure in his sleep. Danny quickly pushes the call button and turns Steve on his side so he doesn't choke on his saliva or vomit. It only lasts for about two minutes, shorter than the last one which lasted five and half minutes according to the nurse. 

The rest of the night passes quietly for Steve although Danny doesn't get much sleep after the early morning seizure. Steve was awake briefly afterwards but he wasn’t really with it. Danny’s worried about his friend. Dr. Freeman said earlier that just because Steve had another seizure doesn't necessarily mean that Steve has PTE, they wouldn't know until they did more extensive testing, which Steve would undergo later today. Dr. Freeman also said that the reason he may not be responding to the anticonvulsant medication because of an antibiotic that Steve is on; and unfortunately they can't stop the antibiotic for another three days. There was also a possibility that the medication wouldn't work at all. Dr. Freeman told Danny that many times PTE doesn't respond to the anticonvulsants for unknown reasons. That knowledge terrified Danny. To think that Steve may suffer uncontrollable seizures for the rest of his life made him sick. 

He watches Steve sleep, he appears to be resting comfortably, he still has the nasal cannula under his nose. Danny doesn't like not knowing what Steve and the rest of the team face in the future with regards to this. If Steve does have PTE, there will be a lot of changes for Steve and Five-0, especially if they can't get the seizures under control with anticonvulsants. As long as they can get the seizures under control with medication, Steve will be able to return to Five-0 in full capacity after he is seizure free for six months. Danny hates not knowing, he'd rather know what they are dealing with, even if it is worst case scenario so they can start dealing with it instead of playing the wait and see game. 

Danny must doze off for a while because next thing he knows Steve is saying his name, "Danny."

"Danny, wake up." Steve sounds a little panicked, Danny can't really blame him for being a bit panicky given the circumstances.

Danny finally is roused out of his slumber he blinks blearily at Steve. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

Steve shrugs, "Ok, tired, have a headache. Why am I in a gown? What happened to my clothes? Why am I on oxygen again?"

"You had another seizure Steve-actually two more. Your oxygen saturation level dropped too low during the first seizure so the cannula is there to bring your sats back up. The nurses had to clean you up a bit after the first one so they put you in a gown."

Steve's face goes red as realization dawns on him.

"Hey, there's nothing to be embarrassed about that Steve. You can't help what your body does when you seize. It’s not your fault." Steve won't meet Danny's eye. He can tell that he's still embarrassed about it. "You had the first one when Chin and Kono were here and have been sleeping ever since. Then you had another one while you were sleeping still."

"Oh." Steve says simply. Danny can't quite read the emotions on Steve's face; it’s a mix of embarrassment, anger, annoyance, and something else. Danny doesn't know what to say to make Steve feel better about it, but he can understand that losing control of your bodily functions and vomiting on your self would be embarrassing, whether you can control it or not. Danny supposes that they will just have to reassure Steve that they don't see him any differently and that it’s not his fault what his body does during a seizure.

Danny checks his watch, it’s a little after five a.m. "Dr. Freeman is going to come by around nine and then they are going to do a bunch of tests. You should get some more sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

Steve's eyes are already starting to droop. "Thanks, Danno."

Steve sleeps until Dr. Freeman arrives a few hours later, he is still tired but he makes it through all the testing. He goes through test upon test and finally arrives back in his room four hours later. He suffered another seizure during the MRI but apparently it wasn’t as severe as the first two considering he came around ten minutes after it stopped. He was disoriented when he came around but was able to respond to questions by squeezing the doctor’s hand; although Dr. Freeman had to repeat the question several times before he answered, Steve doesn’t really remember waking up from it, he knows he was really out of it though. He's completely exhausted and all he wants to do is sleep. Dr. Freeman won't have all the results back for a couple of days so Steve still doesn't know what his future holds. When he finally is returned to his room he sleeps most of the afternoon and into the night, not even waking for supper. 

He finally wakes up about eleven Danny isn't there and neither is Chin or Kono. He puts the call light on for the nurse to help him to the bathroom. He hates that he can't do it himself but he'd rather have help getting there and back than the catheter. He notices that his NG tube is hooked up to the supplement again and his IV port is connected to what he assumes is just a bag of saline to keep him hydrated while he slept all day. He is going to have to try to start eating more to get the tube out; it’s uncomfortable and the sooner he is tube free the better. 

It takes about five minutes for Julia to come in.

"What can I do for you, Steve?" She asks cheerfully. 

"Can you help me to the bathroom please?" He asks quietly. 

"Of course." She stops the IV and puts a cap on the port before helping him sit up and transfer into the wheelchair. She grabs the stand that his feeding tube is connected to and wheels it along behind him. A few minutes later Steve is settled back in bed. He is still tired but doesn't think he will be able to fall asleep again so soon.

"Can I do anything else for you, Steve?" Julie asks as she hooks his IV back up and checks his vital signs.

"Actually could I have some peppermint tea?"

"Of course, I'll be back in a few minutes." Julia leaves but returns less than ten minutes later with his tea.

Steve drinks his tea while he thinks about his current situation. He's terrified right now. 

So far he has had four seizures, three in the last 24 hours, not including the one he had on the helicopter coming in. He doesn't know what he is going to do if he is diagnosed with Post-traumatic epilepsy, especially if it can't be controlled with medication. He will for sure have to take a medical discharge from the Navy and that upsets him. The Navy has been his life ever since his father shipped him away to the Army Navy Academy when he was 16 years old. While he isn't on active duty anymore, he still enjoys his reserve weekends every month and it’s comforting to know that he can go back to active duty if something ever happens to Five-0. Right now, he isn't ready to completely give up his Navy career. As for Five-0, he doesn't know if he will be able to handle taking a desk job for the rest of his career if he can’t go back into the field. Plus, he can't very well lead the team in the field when he's stuck behind his desk in the office. 

Steve doesn't know what he is going to do if he has to deal with these seizures for the rest of his life. Danny, Chin, and Kono keep telling him they will always be there for him no matter what happens. It’s a comforting thought. Other than Mary, Steve doesn't really have any family. Both sets of grandparents are long gone, his dad only had one brother who was a couple years older than him and he passed away about a year before John. His mom's sister Deb and her husband Mike are still in LA but he hasn't heard from her in a while. Last he knew, her son Luke was living in Hong Kong working as an architect and her daughter Cara was a lawyer in Portland. He knows he has some cousins on the mainland but he hasn't seen any of them since he was about ten years old. It’s nice to know that he has people here who care so deeply for him, blood relation or not. He hasn't really had that since his mom died and his dad sent him and Mary away to two different places. 

He glances at the clock on the wall in front of him. Its half past midnight and he's starting to get tired again. He supposes he should probably get some more sleep since he resumes physical therapy in the morning and Danny promised Grace she could finally come visit him after school. Danny says she has been begging to visit ever since she found out he was here. Steve has several of her pictures and get well cards hanging on the wall in his hospital room that Danny brought for him. 

Steve sets the mug of tea on the rolling table and pushes the table off to the side of his bed while lowering the head of the bed. He manages to shift around so he's laying on his right side with a couple pillows supporting his head and neck. The c-collar makes sleeping on his side a bit uncomfortable but he has been lying on his back since this afternoon and while the scrapes and bruises along his left side and back are healing, they are still tender to pressure. He pulls a third pillow to his chest so he is hugging it with his casted left arm. His arm doesn't hurt as much anymore but it still aches from time to time and elevating it makes it feel better. It doesn't take long for him to drift into a restful sleep. 

TBC


	7. Chapter7

Chapter 7

Steve is up early for therapy the next morning. Stacy comes in a little before 8 and helps him get ready for the day before wheeling him off to the rehab wing. He does some exercises for his arm to start out and then moves on to working his leg. He spends three hours doing various exercises and stretches to get his leg back in working order. 

He eats most of his lunch and is about to fall asleep when Sarah comes in and informs him that it’s time to remove the stitches in his various wounds and the staples closing the incision in his scalp. Steve clumsily pulls his t-shirt off and Sarah helps Steve get comfortable on his right side so she can removes the stitches is his side and back. She also injects a mild sedative in his IV port to keep him comfortable during the procedure. Steve manages to doze off for a bit while she is working but wakes up during the staple removal. It’s not really painful but a little uncomfortable, especially when she accidently pulls a few of the very short hairs out of his head along with the staple. 

It takes less than an hour for Sarah to remove all 61 stitches/staples. Sarah is helping Steve get his shirt back on when he is overcome by a strange yet familiar feeling. He starts getting a tingly numb feeling throughout his body and he smells an odd odor that he can’t identify.

“Sarah!” Steve is starting to feel panicky.

“Steve? What’s wrong?” She asks in concern.

“Think I’m having ‘nother seizure. Smell something weird, feel numb.” 

“Just take a deep breath, Steve. You’ll be ok. Just try to stay calm. I’m right here with you.” Sarah says calmly as she pushes the panic button near the head of the bed to alert other staff that she needs help in there.

Steve tries to do as Sarah instructs him but it’s only a matter of seconds before Steve can’t hear anything and the blackness of unconsciousness creeps up on him as his muscles tense before he starts convulsing.

Meanwhile, Sarah is getting his bed laid down flat and turning him on his side, making sure that there isn’t anything on the bed that he could hurt himself on. Several of the other nurses on the unit rush in to help. The seizure lasts four minutes, one of the longer ones he has had since waking up. After the seizure stops, Steve remains deeply asleep.

Steve sleeps for nearly five hours. It is almost 6pm by the time he wakes up while Sarah is taking his vitals. She smiles and asks, “How are you feeling?” when she see that he is awake.

“Tired.” He answers. He gets a panicked look on his face when he remembers that Danny was supposed to bring Grace by this afternoon. “Did Danny come? He was supposed to bring Gracie!” 

“No, I called him earlier after the seizure. He said he would hold off on the visit until you woke up. He also said that it’s not a problem if you aren’t feeling up to company.”

“I want to see them.” He says firmly.

“Are you sure you feel up to it?”   
“Yes.”

“Alright, do you want me to call him or do you want to?”

“I’ll do it.” Steve says. Sarah hands him the phone and leaves the room.

Steve dials Danny’s number and waits for him to pick up.

“Williams.” Danny greets him.

“Hey Danny. Don’t you dare ask how I am feeling.” Steve is getting rather irritated by everyone constantly asking him that and he knows they will be the first words out of Danny’s mouth.

It takes Danny a couple seconds to reply, “How’s it going?”

“Fine. Will you stop by with Gracie? I don’t want to make her wait any longer.” 

“You sure you’re up to it? I heard you had a rough afternoon.”

“Yes I’m sure, Danny.”

“Alright. We’ll be there in about 15 minutes.”

“Thanks Danny.” Steve disconnects the line and hangs the phone up on the dock. He’s excited to see Grace. He hasn’t seen her for over three weeks and he knows she has been begging Danny to let her visit. It will do them both good. Steve needs a distraction from everything that is happening right now and Grace will be perfect for that.

15 minutes later he hears Danny telling Grace she can't jump on Steve like she usually does when she sees him. Steve straightens up and raises the head of the bed in an attempt to look more normal when Danny and Grace actually enter the room. He takes a drink of water and runs his hand over his face and through his short hair. Since his hair is still so short he doesn't have to worry about bed head. 

A couple minutes later Danny is ushering Grace into Steve's hospital room. 

"Uncle Steve!" Grace runs over to the side of his bed. "Are you feeling better? Danno said you weren’t feeling good earlier so we couldn’t come see you."

"Hey Gracie! I'm feeling lots better, especially now that I get to see you."

Grace grinned as Danny picked her up and set her on the edge of Steve's hospital bed. Steve wraps his right arm around her and pulls her close. Grace wraps her arms around him and gives him a gentle hug. 

"I made this for you." She says handing him a piece of folded paper.

The front of the paper has Get Well Soon Uncle Steve written in crayon with drawings of surfboards and waves around it. The inside has a drawing of a seal with a cape on and the Superman "S" on its chest with the words I love you SuperSEAL at the bottom. 

"Thank you Gracie, this is a great drawing. Danno should hang it up with the rest of your drawings, don’t you think?" Steve says grinning down at Grace.

Grace giggles and nods as she hands the picture to Danny, who obediently puts it on the bulletin board on the wall.

"Thanks Danno." Steve says. 

"What's that thing on your neck, Uncle Steve?

"I broke a bone in my neck so this brace is helping it heal by keeping me from moving my neck, kind of like the cast on my arm." He holds up the casted extremity for her to see.

"What about that tube? What's that for?" She points to the NG tube coming out of his nose, taped to the side of his face.

"It helps me eat. When I was sleeping for a few days, I couldn't eat anything so they had to put that tube in so I wouldn't starve."

"But you're awake now."

"Yes, I am. But I can't eat much without getting sick because I hurt my head so I still have the tube to help when me when I don't feel like eating."

"Does it hurt?"

"A little bit but the nurse gives me medicine so it doesn't hurt much."

"When do you get to go home?"

"I don’t know yet, Gracie. I still have to get a little bit better before they will let me go. But when I do get to go home you, Danno, and Chin and Kono can come over for a barbeque. How's that sound?"

"Good! Can we go swimming then?"

"Of course you can, maybe Kono can give you another surfing lesson. I won't be able to swim until all my injuries are healed though, and that might take a while."

"Ok."

"How was school today?"

"Good. I got an A on my spelling test."

"That’s great, Gracie! Good job!"

"Can I sign your cast, Uncle Steve?"

"Of course. Do you have a marker?"

Grace hops off the bed and rummages through her backpack. A minute later she returns with two Sharpies, a blue one and a black one. She climbs back on the bed and settles against Steve again. He holds his arm across for her to write on. 

"No looking until I'm done." Grace says. 

"Looks like you got the staples out." Danny says while Grace signs her name and makes a drawing on the cast. 

"I don’t really remember. I think it was right before…but my mind is kind of fuzzy on it."

"Sarah and Dr. Freeman say that’s normal. How'd therapy go?"

Steve shrugs slightly with his right shoulder, keeping his left still for Grace. "Ok. My leg is a little stronger but I can't move it more than a few inches when I walk...Actually it’s more like a shuffle." Steve sighs in frustration. He hates the limits his body put on him.

"Steve, you know it’s going to take time. You have already made a lot of progress since you woke up a few days ago. Give it a few more days and I'm sure you'll be up and around in no time."

Steve sighs again, "Yeah, I know Danny. I'm just tired of all this."

"I know, Steve. Just give it some time."

"You can look now, Uncle Steve." Grace says as she pulls her hand away from the cast.

She signed her name in her childish scrawl and then drew a small picture of a seal on a surf board next to it over the inside of his wrist.

Steve smiles, "That’s a good looking seal, Gracie. Thank you."

"You’re welcome, Uncle Steve. Does Danno get to sign too?"

"I don't know. Do you think I should let Danno sign it?" He asks Grace.

Grace thinks about if for a second before nodding her head. "He'll complain if you don't let him." she says matter of factly. 

"Hey!" Danny exclaims indignantly.

"That’s very true Gracie. I should probably let him sign so we don’t have to hear him whine all day."

Steve hands Danny one of the Sharpies and lets him get to work. 

Danny writes ‘I heart New Jersey’ in big letters under Kamekona's shave ice advertisement. Steve has to lift his arm up and twist it a bit to be able to read it. 

"Really, Danny?"

Danny just smirks, Steve sighs. 

"How are you really feeling, Steve?" Danny asks in concern. "You look tired."

"I just woke up from a five hour nap a few minutes I called you. I feel ok though for the most part. I still have a headache but Dr. Freeman said that is to be expected for the next couple of weeks. It’s not as bad as it was a few days ago. I'm sick of being here and eating hospital food."

"You getting your appetite back?"

"A little. I'm starting to feel hungry more but I still can't eat much or I get sick."

"At least you are making progress with it. How about Grace and I go pick up some take out and bring something back for you? What do you feel like eating?"

"I don’t know. How about pizza or something?" 

"We can do that. I will let Sarah know we are bringing you supper. Let's go Grace. We'll be back in a bit."

Steve gets another hug from Grace before she hops off the bed and follows Danny out the door.

Steve watches them go and is glad they are coming back to eat with him. He doesn't really like being alone in the hospital. Having someone there makes it easier to deal with all the unknowns. Having Danny and Grace there with him also keeps his mind off the possibility of PTE. Since Danny left yesterday morning before Dr. Freeman took Steve for the tests, today had been the longest Steve had been left alone. He normally would enjoy his time alone, for some reason he felt vulnerable and anxious when he was alone for more than a couple hours, even when he is sleeping he notices the emptiness in his room. He's not sure, but he thinks maybe it’s because when he was in the coma there was always someone here talking to him. Unless that had all been his subconscious imagination. Steve makes a note to ask Danny about it later. 

Danny and Grace return about forty five minutes later with a pizza from Ailani's that is half ham and pineapple for Steve and Grace and half pepperoni for Danny. 

"Look what else we brought you, Uncle Steve." Grace says holding up a smoothie from Steve's favorite smoothie place. "It's strawberry mango!"

"Thank you, Gracie! Strawberry mango is my favorite." Steve pulled the rolling table up and set the smoothie on it. Grace crawled back up onto his bed and settled in beside him. They ate their pizza and watched a Yankee's game on TV. Steve managed to eat a slice and a half of pizza and drink most of the smoothie before calling it good. Grace fell asleep cuddled up next to Steve during the game.

"Thanks for this, Danny. I really needed it."

"You're welcome."

Steve settles into his pillows with an arm wrapped around Grace. "Hey Danny?" Steve says softly.

"Yeah Steve?"

"When I was in the coma, was one of you always here talking to me?"

Danny looks at Steve in surprise. "You remember that? One of us was almost always here with you."

Steve angles his body a bit so he can see Danny better. "Yeah, I think so. I wasn't sure if I was imagining that or not. I could tell when I was alone and when there was someone here. I could hear you talking too. I couldn't always understand what was being said but I could always hear it...It made me feel safe."

"We would come sit with you whenever we were allowed to. We would talk to you or read the newspaper or a magazine out loud. The nurses told us that it might help you wake up and come back to us."

"It did, Danno, it did." Steve is silent for a few minutes. "And for the record, as soon as I'm completely healed, we're going hiking again. You said you would."

"You must have dreamt that part. I don't recall saying that."

"Liar." Steve says with a smirk. 

"You have to get out of here first." Danny says.

"Working on it, Danno." Steve says as his eyes drifted shut.

"I know buddy, and you're doing good. I'm gonna take Grace home for the night, but we'll be back tomorrow."

"Kay. Night Danno." Steve is almost asleep before Danny is even out the door.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Danny and Grace come the next morning with pancakes and another all fruit smoothie for Steve for breakfast. Steve eats three of them, glad to have something other than mushy oatmeal and powdered eggs. 

They stay with Steve until it is time for him to go for therapy with the promise to return in the afternoon when he is done with his physical therapy for the day.

Steve pushes himself to get his leg moving again during therapy. He is sitting on the floor with Stacy doing some exercises for his leg. 

He is so focused on his therapy that he doesn't notice the odd feeling he gets before another seizure takes him. Steve suddenly tenses up and falls sideways as a seizure overtakes him. 

Stacy is by his side immediately turning him on his side and yelling for someone to get a nurse and a doctor. Another of the physical therapists rushes over with a cushion to put under Steve's head to keep him from hitting it on the floor. 

Steve stops seizing a couple minutes after the doctor and nurse arrive. They get him on a gurney and take him back to his room. 

Danny and Grace return shortly after lunch time that afternoon to find Steve sound asleep in bed; he doesn't even stir when Grace calls out 'Uncle Steve!' as she enters before either of them realize he is sleeping. 

"Grace, why don't you sit here with Uncle Steve and color him a new picture. I'm going to go talk to his nurse."

"Ok, Danno." Danny steps out after getting Grace settled with her crayons and notepad. 

"Hey, Sarah, how's Steve doing?"

"He had a bit of a rough morning during therapy."

"He seized again didn't he?" Danny asks before Sarah can continue. 

Sarah nods, "He did. He was sitting on the floor doing some exercises when it happened. They brought him back here after it stopped. He was awake briefly when we transferred him from the gurney to his bed but he wasn't completely with it. He's been sleeping ever since."

"When will Dr. Freeman have his test results back? This is his sixth seizure since he woke up and fifth in the last day and a half."

"Dr. Freeman should be by later this afternoon with the test results after Steve wakes up. Hopefully he will have a better idea of what to do to help Steve and stop the seizures."

"Alright, thank you. My daughter and I will be sitting with him for a while."

"Ok, If Dr. Freeman comes by while the two of you are still here, you can send Grace out here and I'll watch her for you while the two of you talk to Dr. Freeman, unless Steve doesn't want you in there. But a little girl like her doesn’t need to hear all this medical speak right now, it will probably just scare her."

Danny nods, "If Steve is going to have these seizures for the rest of his life he and I will sit Grace down and explain it to her so she can understand. But you're right; it will just scare her right now."

"That's the best thing to do. I'll let you get back to Steve and Grace. Let me know when he comes around."

In Steve's room, Grace is sitting quietly by his bed drawing him a picture. Steve is still sound asleep in the same position he was in when Danny first entered. He sits down next to Grace.

"What are you drawing, Monkey?"

"Me and Uncle Steve building a sandcastle. Do you think he'll like it?"

"I'm sure he will love it, Gracie. You can show it to him as soon as he wakes up if it’s done by then."

Danny and Grace sit quietly for the next hour and a half. Grace continues to draw pictures while Danny leafs through a Sports Illustrate magazine. Danny's attention is torn away from the magazine when he hears a soft groan from the figure lying on the bed. 

"Hey, Steve? You awake?" Danny asks as he sets the magazine aside and grabs Steve's hand. 

Steve's eyes flutter and Danny is greeted by half mast hazel-blue eyes.

"Grace, go get Sarah and let her know Steve is awake."

Grace nods and is out the door in seconds.

"Did I have another seizure?" Steve asks Danny.

"Yeah, when you were down at PT. How are you feeling?"

"Stiff and sore. Got a killer headache."

"Sarah will be here in a minute. She said Dr. Freeman is going to come by in a bit with the test results."

Sarah and Grace return a minute later.

"How are you feeling, Steve?" Sarah asks as she checks his vital signs.

"Ok." 

Sarah gave him a look as if to say 'tell me the truth.'

"I'm stiff and sore all over, I have a headache, and my neck hurts more than it has since I woke up."

"On a scale of 1-10 how bad is the pain in your neck?" Sarah asks.

"8 maybe a 9, before it was just stiff with a dull ache that was more annoying than painful."

"It's possible that you aggravated it during the seizure. Dr. Freeman is on his way with your test results. He will also take a look at your neck and probably want another x-ray of it. In the mean time I'm going to give you something to make you a little more comfortable."

"I don't want to be knocked out." Steve states firmly.

"Don't worry its non-narcotic. It won't make you sleepy." Sarah says as she readies a syringe and injects the contents into the IV port on the inside of his right arm.

It doesn't take more than a minute or two for Steve to start to feel relief. Steve sags into his pillows just as Dr. Freeman knocks and enters the room carrying a folder.

"How are you feeling, Steve?"

"Better now. My neck still hurts though, but not as bad as a few minutes ago."

"I just administered another dose of pain medication." Sarah informs Dr. Freeman. "When he woke he was complaining that his neck hurt more than it has since he woke up. I suspect he aggravated it during this morning’s seizure."

"Let’s take a look shall we? You shouldn't be experiencing this level of pain so long after your injury." Dr Freeman says as he sets the folder down on the bedside table. "Steve, I am going to have you turn on your side and remove the c-collar so I can feel your neck, Amy will hold your head still but try not to move."

Dr. Freeman lowers the head of the bed enough so Steve is lying mostly flat. Steve rolls onto his side and Amy holds his head in a firm but gentle grasp while Dr. Freeman removes the c-collar and carefully palpates along Steve's cervical vertebrae from the base of his head down. 

"Argh!" Steve exclaims as Dr. Freeman gently palpates the tender spot.

“That’s where the pain is? Anywhere else?" 

"No, just that spot."

"You certainly did aggravate your previous injury but to what extent, I cannot tell without an x-ray. The tenderness is located at the C6 level where your fracture is." Dr. Freeman explains as he secures the c-collar around Steve's neck again. "I'm going to order a new set of x-rays and an MRI for your neck. Amy will you go call the radiology department and let them know?"

"Of course Doctor." Amy helps Steve get settled on his back again before leaving the room.

"Steve, I want you to stay in this position until we get the x-rays back to reduce the risk of further aggravation to your neck and spine. Are you able to wiggle your toes and fingers normally?"

"Yea, everything else feels ok, aside from being stiff." Steve wiggles his toes and fingers as he says it.

"Good. We won't know until I see the MRI images but it doesn’t appear that you suffered any trauma to your spinal cord."

"Alright. I was wearing the brace during the seizure. How did my neck get injured again?"

"While the c-collar does a good job of keep you from moving your neck, there is unfortunately some give to it. When you have a seizure, your muscles tense up extremely tight causing strong movements. My best guess is that the seizure you had this morning caused you to move your head enough in the confines of the collar that you disturbed the healing of the broken vertebra and maybe even worsened the fracture. You also could have hit your head or neck hard enough when you fell that you jarred the all ready weakened vertebra."

“Is there anything that can be done so that it won’t happen again if I have another seizure?”

“We can put you in a different style c-collar that is more restricting. The new collar will be more rigid and it will go a little farther down your chest than this one does. It will restrict the movement of your head and neck but not the movement of you back.”

"Sarah said you had the results from my tests back."

Dr. Freeman nods, "I got all the results last night and have spent the entire morning analyzing them to formulate a diagnosis." He pauses and picks up the folder, leafing through it until he finds what he is looking for. Danny and Steve are both holding their breath, hearts racing. Danny slides his hand into Steve’s and gives it a squeeze as they wait for the verdict.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

"I'm sorry to inform you that you do in fact have Post-traumatic epilepsy."

Steve sucks in a deep breath and closes his eyes. Danny squeezes his hand tighter. Steve and Danny have both gone a shade paler.

After a minute or so, Steve finally asks, "So what now?"

"We will continue to alter your dose of anticonvulsants until we determine the correct dose or if the anticonvulsants are therapeutic. If one drug doesn't work, we will try another or a combination of medications. Right now, one of the antibiotics you are on may be impairing the anticonvulsants effectiveness. Tomorrow we will be able to discontinue that and hopefully see some improvement. It may be a couple months before we find the right dose or combination."

"What if medication doesn't work?" Danny asks.

"If the seizures aren't controlled after a combination of three medications, we can try alternative means. Ketogenic diets or modified Atkins diest have been shown to be effective in reducing the occurrence of the seizures. We can try either diet. Also, you will need to keep track of how often, what time of the day, and how long you have seizures. Tracking seizures can help us to figure out if there are triggers and then formulate a plan to avoid the triggers."

"What's a ketogenic diet?" Danny inquires.

"A ketogenic diet is a high fat low carbohydrate diet. It forces the body to burn fat instead of sugar. Many patients have had good results with this type of diet. You will have to work closely with a dietician in order to maintain a healthy ketogenic diet."

"Is surgery an option?" Steve asks.

"Unfortunately, surgery is not generally effective in treating PTE. Very few cases of surgical treatment have been effective."

"How long until we know if it can be controlled?"

"It could take weeks or months to find an effective treatment."

"Will I be able to go back to work?"

"Right now it's too soon to say. You will definitely be able to work from a desk but as for field work we will have to see. You will have to be seizure free for six months before you can be cleared for field work and driving."

Steve sighed heavily, not doing a very good job of hiding his frustration.

"I know this is a daunting diagnosis, Steve. But with time and proper management you will be able to live a relatively normal life, it may not be the same life you had but you can still have a fulfilling life. And you probably won't always have seizures as often as you have had in the last day or so."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You had the first seizure three days after you woke up and didn't have another until two days later when you have had five seizures in less than two days. We call seizures that occur so close together cluster seizures. It's very possible that you may go two, three ,or even four days-possibly even more-seizure free and then suddenly have a several within a few days."

"But they'll never stop completely?"

"It is unlikely that the epilepsy will go away but if we find a drug or drug combination that works we may be able to wean you off the medication after 5 years of being seizure free, however you may need to go right back on the medication right away. Some people don't have any more seizures while others do. You should be prepared to take the medication for the rest of your life."

Before Steve or Danny can ask any more questions, Sarah returns and informs them that radiology is ready for Steve.

"Alright Steve, I will accompany you down to radiology for your MRI. Danny you can wait here, we shouldn't be too long. If either of you have more questions, just let me know. I will leave this folder of pamphlets and literature here for the both of you."

"Danny, take Gracie home or to the beach, she doesn't need to be hanging around the hospital all afternoon."

"Steve-"

"I'll be fine, Danny. Go do something fun with Gracie before you have to take her back to Rachel."

"Fine, but I'm coming back this evening after I drop her off."

"Ok." Steve says as a couple orderlies enter to wheel him down to the radiology department.

-H50-

It doesn't take more than an hour for the MRI and x-rays. Dr. Freeman confirms that during the seizure Steve undid what healing had already taken place and worsened the fracture, what started out as a small crack in the vertebra was now a full blown break. He fits Steve with a new c-collar that is more restrictive and a little less comfortable, not that the original was that comfortable. The old collar stopped at his collar bones, the front of the new one goes down farther so it covers part of his sternum and it goes a little higher on the back of his head than the first one. Dr. Freeman also tells Steve that he will have to wear the c-collar for 10-12 weeks now instead of the original 6-8.

When Steve gets back to his room, he is emotionally and physically exhausted but sleep won't come. His mind is racing with thoughts of how his life has changed. He really hopes that they will be able to find a drug or drug combination that will control the seizures so he will be able to return to Five-0 in full capacity. Steve isn't sure how well he will handle having to ride a desk for the rest of his career or being unable to drive. He thinks as long as he can return to Five-0 in full capacity, he will be able to deal with the PTE better and also with no longer being in the Navy. Dr. Freeman sat down with him after he got back from radiology and discussed some of the things Steve won't be able to do alone as long as the seizures are uncontrolled. He's no longer able to go for his morning swims, not that he would be able to anyway with a broken neck. Freeman said that after his neck heals he will be able to go for a swim as long as he has someone who is a strong swimmer swimming with him, just in case he suffers a seizure in the water.

He's angry and maybe even a little depressed that his Navy career is over. Even if his Epilepsy can be controlled with medications, he will have to take a medical discharge as he will be considered unfit for duty. Steve thinks it's a little ironic that with all the times he had been injured while with the SEALs he never ended up with any lasting damage and now that he is no longer on active duty he ends up with a career ending injury because of a climbing accident.

Steve lays back and tries to sleep but it won't come. He can feel tears welling up in his eyes as he thinks about all the changes that lay ahead of him. He squeezes his eyes shut to keep the tears from falling. He isn't sure if he wants to stay with Five-0 if he can no longer be in the field. He doesn't know what else he would do though. His entire adult life has been spent engaging in dangerous situations that require him to be in tip top shape and be 100 percent healthy. Even when he was in Naval Intelligence most of his work was "in the field", he doesn't think he has many skills that would be useful for a regular civilian job behind a desk.

He frustrated with his body. His entire adult life he has taken care of his body, exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet. Even when he was a kid he was always active and his mom made sure he and Mary ate healthy. For his body to betray him like this is extremely frustrating to Steve.

Steve can feel himself getting worked up which only serves to tense the muscles in his shoulders and neck, exacerbating the pain in his neck. He makes an effort to calm himself down. Steve tries several meditation techniques to calm down and relax his muscles. He manages to clear his mind and spends the next hour meditating until Danny comes back.

It's nearly 8 when Danny shows up again.

"Hey, how are you holding up?" Danny says as he enters.

"Fine."

"Right. What did Freeman say about your neck?"

"Refractured what had already started to heal. Have to wear this damn thing for probably 3 months."

"Shit, Steve. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault, Danny."

"I know, but I can still be sorry."

"Did you tell Chin and Kono?"

Danny shakes his head, "No, I didn't know if you would want me to yet. They are on their way over though."

"Ok."

"You look, tired. Did you get any sleep this afternoon?"

"Not really. Dozed off for a while during the MRI because of the drugs they gave me before. What did you and Gracie end up doing?" Steve changes the subject.

"We went to beach for a while. She built a sand castle and then we got shave ice. She was asking questions about your injuries but I haven't told her anything about the seizures or epilepsy yet. I thought you would maybe want to talk to her about it and tell her what you want her to know. You'd be able to answer her questions better than I could. You know how Grace is with questions."

"Yeah, she's a curious one. When do you have her again?"

"Wednesday through Sunday. Rachel and Stan are going to the Big Island for the weekend because Stan is building a new hotel there."

"I'll explain it to her then if you don't mind bringing her by. I don't know how much longer I'm gonna be here. Dr. Freeman said it depends on how quickly I progress with therapy."

There is a knock at the door and Chin and Kono enter together, "Hey Brah." "Hi, Boss!" They say at the same time.

"Hey guys." Steve greets them.

"How are you doing?" Chin asks.

Steve heaved a sigh; he was unbelievably tired of everyone asking that. "I'm doing ok."

"What's with the new neck wear, Boss?" Kono asks when she notices the white collar with blue pads rather than the gray one he had last time she saw him.

"Had another seizure this morning and undid the healing of the vertebra. The doc gave me a more restrictive collar so it hopefully won't happen again."

"That's rough brah."

Steve takes a deep breath, "Dr. Freeman also got all my test results back…He says I have Post-traumatic Epilepsy."

The room is silent for a few minutes before Kono speaks, "So what does this mean for you, Boss?"

"We are going to try to find a drug or drug combination that will control the seizures. I can't drive or swim until the seizures are controlled. If I'm seizure free for six months, I'll be able to return to Five-0 in full capacity, if not, then I'm on desk duty indefinitely."

"And what about the Navy?" Asks Chin.

"I'll be medically discharged. Even if the seizures can be controlled, I won't be considered fit for duty."

"How much longer are they going to keep you here?"

"I don't know yet. I won't be released until I'm mobile again. According to Stacy, I'm making progress but it could still be a couple weeks before I'm outta here. Anything big going on at the office?"

They can all tell Steve wants to stop talking about his injuries and the changes he faces in the future. "Not really. We haven't caught any new cases since you were injured. We helped HPD out with a drug raid yesterday and that's about all."

"Sounds exciting." Steve says around a yawn.

"We should get out of your hair and let you sleep. You look really tired." Chin says as he stands to leave. Kono and Danny follow in suit.

"We will be by again tomorrow sometime." Kono says.

"Alright, thanks guys. See ya tomorrow."

"Night, Brah."

"You need anything before we go?" Danny asks.

"I'm good."

"Ok. I'll be back tomorrow sometime."

"Night, Danno. Kono."

Steve settles in to sleep as his friends leave the room. He lays there trying to fall asleep for nearly half an hour but he can't seem to get comfortable. The pain meds he took earlier have apparently worn off, as his neck hurts almost as bad as it did when he woke up. He pushes the call button for the nurse to see if he can have more pain meds.

It takes less than five minutes for Julie, the night nurse to come in. She gives him another shot of pain medication that will also help him sleep. Julie also helps him adjust his pillows and get in a more comfortable position. It doesn't take long for him to drift off after that. Steve hopes that tomorrow is a better day than today was.

TBC

You all probably hate me for that...I'm too mean to poor Steve but the muse wouldn't let this idea go. I'll put him back together as much as I can eventually.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
Steve is up early for therapy the next day. He spends most of the morning working on walking with the parallel bars. He is able to take small shuffling steps but his right foot drags with each step forward, he can’t manage to lift it high enough to completely clear the floor; his broken arm makes it even more difficult because he can’t use it much for support. After two hours, Steve is done with physical therapy for now. He gets a break for lunch and manages to take a short half hour nap before he has speech therapy for an hour. His speech has greatly improved over the last few days but it’s still slow and occasionally slurred but at least now he doesn’t sound like a child with a speech impediment. After his speech therapy session he has another short PT session to work his arm. His arm isn’t back to a hundred percent yet but he is slowly getting there, tasks like eating or shaving don’t exhaust all his strength anymore. 

Over the past few days Steve hasn’t been able to spend as much time as he would have liked in PT because of the seizures. He is really hoping that he will make it through today without one. Each time he has another seizure it takes away precious time that he could be using for therapy. He hasn’t even left the hospital and he is already irritated with the way the seizures interrupt his life.

Danny stops by late in the afternoon just after Steve arrives back to his room from his last therapy session for the day. Danny enters to find Steve and Stacy slowly walking from the bathroom to the bed. He can see Steve’s legs shaking with the exertion. Stacy has her hand looped through the gait belt that is fastened around Steve’s waist. Steve is leaning on a walker as he shuffles along. The walker has been modified with an arm rest extension on the left side for him to rest his broken arm on; it makes it easier for him to support himself with the casted extremity.

“Looking good, Babe!” Danny says. He is thrilled to see Steve finally making progress. 

Steve completely ignores him as he concentrates on making it to the bed where Stacy helps him get situated. She puts the walker in the corner of the room where it will be out of the way as she tells Steve that she will see him tomorrow before leaving. Steve leans back on the bed in exhaustion; he can feel the muscles in his legs twitching from the exertion. 

“It’s great to see you up and about.” 

“Well I’m up but I wouldn’t really say about.” Steve’s tone is bitter.

“Still, you are making progress.” Danny consoles.

“I feel like a 90 year old man, Danny, shuffling along with a walker, needing help with everything.” Steve is getting angry now.

“Hey, Steve. Calm down! You’ll be walking around without assistance in no time. You just need to be patient.”

“Danny, I have been patient since I woke up! My patience is running thin! I work my ass off in therapy and have hardly gotten any results! Every time I have another fucking seizure I’m out for half a day and it just puts off my recovery that much more each time! I’m sick of it! I just want to get better and go home!”

Danny was shocked by Steve’s outburst but at the same time he was amazed that it hadn’t come sooner. For Steve to blow up like this is rare, he generally keeps his emotions close to his chest. When he does get angry it’s usually a very controlled anger, not an explosion like Danny.

“Hey! Calm down, Steve, before you give yourself another seizure.” Danny commands. Steve’s seizures, according to Dr. Freeman, have all been unprovoked but Freeman said that an increase in stress can trigger seizures. He also gave Steve a whole list of other things that can trigger seizures. 

Steve leans back and takes a deep breath. He knows Danny is right and getting worked up isn’t going to do anything to help him. 

After Steve has visibly calmed down Danny speaks, “Look, Steve, I know you are frustrated with everything and I know you want nothing more than to get out of here and go back to living your life the way you have for the last year but we both know that isn’t going to happen any time soon.”

“Or won’t happen at all.” Steve grumps. 

“You can’t think like that, Steve. There is still a possibility that you can return to having pretty much the same life you had before if they can find a medication that works. You need to think positive.”

“Dr. Freeman also said PTE doesn’t always respond to drugs, and so far it hasn’t.”

“It’s barely been three weeks since you fell, Steve. Less than two since you woke up. Dr. Freeman said it will take time to find the correct dose; plus until today you were on an antibiotic that could have been interfering with the medication. You just have to give it time Steve. Try not to think about the seizures and concentrate on your rehab.”

“It’s hard not to think about the seizures, Danny.” Steve says softly. “It’s always looming in the back of my mind and I’m constantly watching out for the warning signs; sometimes I will get an odd feeling or smell something weird and I get myself convinced that it’s one of the auras I sometimes get before a seizure starts and then it never comes…I hate this Danny.”

It amazes Danny that Steve is being this open about his feelings but then he remembers that Steve is still suffering side effects from the head injury. Dr. Freeman said the small personality changes that Steve is experiencing are more than likely just temporary. 

“I know you hate this, Steve. I do too, believe me. But you need to try not to dwell on it; it will only make it worse.”

Danny and Steve sit quietly for a few minutes. Steve has his eyes closed and does his best to ignore Danny’s presence. Nothing is said until Sarah enters the room. She knows Steve isn’t asleep because she heard the altercation between the two men from the hallway.

“What do you say we get rid of the NG tube, Steve?”

“I’ll wait outside.” Danny says as he stands.

Steve still hasn’t said anything but he did open his eyes to look at Sarah.

Sarah unpins the tube from his t-shirt and gently peels the clear tape that holds the tube to his face away as she explains to him what is going to happen. She takes a syringe of saline and flushes the tube before pulling the tube out. Steve gags a bit as the end comes out of his throat but Sarah manages to remove it without much trouble.

“How are you feeling?” She asks.

Steve gives a one shouldered shrug, “Ok I guess. Throat’s a bit sore now. I’m tired.”

“Your sore throat will go away in a couple hours. Supper trays will be here in a few minutes, I think its roast beef tonight.”

“Great.”

Sarah takes his vitals and checks him over before leaving. It’s obvious that Steve isn’t feeling up to social interaction right now. They have been monitoring for signs of depression in the last few days and it is pretty clear that Steve is depressed. Depression is common after a diagnosis like Steve’s, and the fact that he is still suffering effects to the head injury isn’t helping any. Dr. Freeman has been contemplating starting Steve on an antidepressant medication but he wanted to wait to see how severe it is and if he can pull out of this funk in a few days without one. 

Steve ignores Danny when he enters again by pretending to be asleep. He is in need of some alone time but hasn’t had more than a few minutes to himself at a time in the last few days. Usually he is either with his therapist or else Danny, Chin, or Kono are all here. Steve is starting to feel smothered by all the attention he is getting from Danny and the team. 

Danny sits by Steve’s bedside and silently watches as his partner and best friend pretends to be asleep. Steve’s breathing isn’t regular enough to be asleep and the furrowed brow is a dead give-away. After several long minutes Danny decides to leave for a while and give Steve some space. 

“I’m gonna go home for the night, Steve. I’ll be back sometime tomorrow.” Danny says quietly as he heads for the door.

Danny hears a quiet, almost whispered thank you from Steve before the door closes. Danny sends out a text to Chin and Kono to let them know that Steve needs some time to himself and not to come visit until tomorrow. 

Steve opens his eyes now that Danny is gone. He feels like a jerk for ignoring him to the point that Danny decided to leave but he can’t help but feel relief at finally being alone for a while. 

Steve thinks it’s funny, he’s woken up alone numerous times in hospitals before when he was injured on missions and never really had any regular visitors unless is team hadn’t been reassigned yet; and now that he has people who care about him enough to come spend time with him in the hospital and has a support system for the rehab, he just wants time to himself. When he was in the hospital after missions, often in a remote place in some small country or at a military base overseas, he’d always long for his dad or Catherine or even Mary to be able to visit him and help him through it but no one was ever able to or allowed to come. Catherine was able to spend a day with him in a hospital in Africa once when the Enterprise was in port for a day but at the time he wasn’t really able to converse. He’d been shot several times and had numerous other injuries; he was so doped up on painkillers that he hardly even realized she was there. 

His thoughts are interrupted when the aide brings in his supper tray. Steve raises the head of his bed so he is sitting more upright and looks at the food before him. It actually doesn’t look too bad today. Its roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans that don’t look over cooked. He also got a small plate of strawberry shortcake. Even though, it looks like one of the most edible meals he’s been served since he came into the hospital, he still doesn’t really feel like eating at the moment. He knows he should though since he finally got the feeding tube removed and he still is underweight. Steve manages to eat a little over half of the meat and potatoes plus all of the green beans and the shortcake before calling it quits. 

Steve is having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that he now has epilepsy. He’s angry and just wants his life to go back to normal. He knows that isn’t possible though. His life will never be the same again, he will have to adjust his way of life and his exercise regimen and follow a strict medication schedule. Plus he won’t have to fulfill his obligations to the Navy as a reservist. Steve enjoys his monthly reserve weekends; it feels good to go back to the structured way of life in the Navy every now and then. He likes getting away for a bit and spending time with people like him, people who don’t question his military mentality they way Danny does. As much as Steve loves Danny and no matter how close of friends they are, Danny will never understand certain parts of Steve’s personality. 

Steve’s thoughts are interrupted when Dr. Freeman enters the room. 

“How are you feeling Steve?” Dr. Freeman asks as he picks up Steve’s chart and starts paging through it.

“Ok.”

It doesn’t take more than a glance for the doctor to figure out that Steve is lying and is in a poor mood.

“Ok, how about this, is your head bothering you?”

Steve realizes Dr. Freeman isn’t going to accept is platitudes for answers. He heaves a sigh before answering. “No, not really, it’s just a dull headache.”

“What about your neck?”

“It’s throbbing.”

Dr. Freeman nods, he expects Steve to have some pretty severe pain in his neck for a few days. “Do you have any pain anywhere else?”

“No just my neck. My arm hasn’t hurt for several days and the bruises only hurt if they are touched.” Steve’s scrapes from the fall are pretty much healed up but he still has some deep bruises in a few places that hurt when pressure is applied to them.

“Good, how are you doing mentally and emotionally? Sarah tells me you sent Danny away.”

“I didn’t send him away,” Steve says defensively. “I just wanted some alone time and didn’t feel like having Danny around telling me that everything will be ok, so I pretended to be asleep until he decided to leave. I’m sick of everyone telling me it will be ok. They don’t know that.”

Freeman nods, “That’s understandable. You have a lot to deal with right now.”

Nothing is said for a few minutes while Dr. Freeman takes Steve’s blood pressure and makes notations in the chart. Steve’s blood pressure is a little high right now but the doctor isn’t surprised considering Steve is worked up. 

“Doc, what are the chances that the seizures will be able to be controlled with the meds?” Steve asks suddenly.

Freeman considers the question before answering, making sure to word his answer carefully. “Honestly, I can’t give you a solid answer to that Steve. There are so many variables involved, not to mention there isn’t a ton of research devoted to PTE. The fact that you didn’t have a penetrating head injury works in your favor to the meds working. Right now my best guess is 50/50. Just because we haven’t found a medication that works yet, doesn’t mean we won’t. Sometimes it takes a couple months to get the dose right. Don’t get discouraged yet.”

Steve takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. He tries to nod after momentarily forgetting about the restricting brace around his neck. His emotions are all over the place right now so he just mutters, “ok.”

“Now in the mean time, why don’t we do something about the pain?” He takes a syringe and vile out of his lab coat pocket. “This might make you sleepy but you could use the extra rest right now.” Dr. Freeman says as he fills the syringe before injecting it into the IV port in Steve’s right arm.

It doesn’t take long for the painkiller to take effect and for Steve to be pain free. Less than ten minutes after Dr. Freeman leaves Steve is deeply asleep, resting comfortably.

 

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

 

Danny comes to see Steve the next afternoon. Steve is in a slightly better mood than he was the night before, he is still depressed but he isn’t in a foul mood. He got a good night’s sleep and is finally starting to feel better than he has been. His headache is down to a level that he can pretty much ignore it. His neck still aches but it isn’t as painful as it was the day before and he hasn’t had a seizure since the one he had during physical therapy two days ago. 

Steve is sitting up in a chair by the window when Danny walks in. “You look like you’re feeling better.”

Steve smiles at Danny as he turns his whole upper body to see him, “Yeah, I am. Danny, I’m sorry for being a jerk last night.”

“Hey, it’s alright Steve. I know how you are, you don’t have to apologize. I’m sorry we were crowding you.”

“It’s not your fault Danny. I was just overwhelmed with everything and didn’t handle it very well.”

This is the best mood Danny has seen Steve in since he woke up. He’s glad to see that Steve is finally starting to feel better.

Danny takes a seat in the empty chair next to Steve. Steve adjusts his position in the chair so he can see Danny better. 

“Mary called this morning.” Steve says out of the blue.

“Shit. I kinda forgot to call her. She probably doesn’t have a clue what happened.” Danny feels guilty for forgetting about the only living relative Steve has.

“It’s all right Danny. We aren’t exactly close and she wouldn’t have handled it very well if she’d have known I was in a coma. It’s better for her to find out now that I’m awake.”

Danny nods but he still feels guilty, he knows Steve is right. Mary wouldn’t have handled the news very well at all. Steve told Danny about her substance abuse problems and about how she is trying to get straightened out. She probably would have started using or drinking heavily again if he’d have called her right after the accident. “How’s she doing?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t talked to her. She left a voicemail on my phone when I was downstairs for therapy, haven’t called her back yet.”

“Did she say anything in the message?”

“Not really, just that she wanted to say hi and check in on me because we haven’t talked in a while. I think the last time we talked was when I called her a week or two before I got hurt.”

“Why haven’t you called her back yet?”

Steve gives a small shrug. “I don’t know. I guess I don’t really want her to know everything that’s happened. She’s been clean for 6 months now and she’s cut back on the drinking but hasn’t stopped completely. I’m just afraid this will scare her or stress her out and push her over the edge again.”

“Steve, she’s your sister. She deserves to know what’s going on with you.”

“I know. I just don’t want to ruin her progress. I don’t want to be the one who causes her to start using again.”

“I get that Steve. But epilepsy isn’t exactly something you can hide from her, especially if she comes back to the islands.”

“If the meds work I won’t have a problem hiding it.”

Danny sighs, “You should tell her, Steve. You’re pretty much out of danger, now it’s just a matter of controlling the seizures. Just call her, tell her what happened and that you are ok, and then explain the PTE to her and what happens next. Just make sure you reassure her that you are ok and are recovering well. It’s all you can do, Steve. But she deserves to know. Besides she’s grown up a bit in the last few months.”

“Yeah, she has. She’s trying really hard to get her life straightened out now.”

“You need to tell her. Give her a call, I’ll stay if you want, otherwise I’ll go down to the cafeteria and get some coffee for a while.”

“Stay. My phone is on the night stand, can you grab if for me?”

Danny grabs the iPhone and hands it to Steve. He watches in silence as Steve dials Mary’s number and waits for her to answer.

Steve is about to hang up when Mary finally answers.

“Hey Mare.” Steve greets her.

“Steve! How’s it going?”

“It’s ok. Sorry I missed your call earlier. I was a bit busy.”

“It’s ok. I just called to catch up. We haven’t talked for a while. You got a new case that’s taking up all your time?”

“Um not really.” Steve says a bit nervously.

“What’s wrong, Steve?” Mary catches the change in her big brother’s voice right away. Nervous isn’t a tone often heard in Steve’s voice.

“I had a bit of an accident a few weeks ago. I’m still in the hospital.”

“Oh my God! What happened? Are you ok?”

“I’m ok. I took Danny hiking to the petroglyphs, we found a body on a ledge. I climbed down to check it out and on the way back up a rock came loose. It hit me on the head and I fell about 40 feet. I broke my arm and a vertebra in my neck. I also had bleeding on my brain and had to have surgery to stop it.” It all comes out in a rush. Steve didn’t mean to say it like that but he is relieved its over.

“You had BRAIN SURGERY?! Why was I not informed of this?”

Steve pulls the phone away from his ear when she starts yelling. It causes his headache to spike. “Mary, calm down! I’m ok now! Yes, I had surgery but I’m doing ok and I’m getting better every day. But will you please not yell? I still have a headache and you yelling just makes it worse.” 

“Sorry.” Mary’s voice immediately quiets, “If this all happened a few weeks ago why are you still in the hospital?”

“I had some complications, Mare, from the surgery. I was in a coma for eight days and when I woke up I had some weakness on my right side. I also had a few seizures after I woke up. That’s why I have been here for nearly three weeks.” Steve decides not to mention the speech problems he had. His speech is pretty much back to normal, it is still a little slower than normal but not enough for people to really take notice of it.

“Seizures?” 

“Yeah. I’ve had six I think since I woke up.” Steve takes a deep breath and drops the bomb, “My neurologist says I have Post-traumatic Epilepsy.”

“You have epilepsy?” Mary’s voice is barely a whisper.

“Yeah, but Dr. Freeman thinks there is a good chance they can control the seizures with medications so I will hopefully be able to have a relatively normal life.”

“God Steve. I’m so sorry. Will you still be able to work?”

“If the meds work and stop the seizures, I’ll be able keep running Five-0 in full capacity but no matter what I’ll be discharged from the Navy.”

“Oh Steve.” It was all Mary can think of to say. She knows how much the Navy means to him. “How much longer will you be in the hospital for?”

“I don’t really know, maybe a week or so.”

“I’m coming out there. I’ll book a flight as soon as we are off the phone.”

“Mare, don’t. You don’t need to come to Hawaii to be with me. I’m doing fine, I don’t want you to drop everything and fly out here just for me.”

“Steve, you’re my big brother and you need your family there with you for this. I don’t care what you say, I am coming to Hawaii and you can’t stop me. Besides when you’re out of the hospital you will probably need someone to stay with you at home.”

Mary did have a good point about that. Steve knew he would need someone to stay with him and take him to physical therapy and his doctor appointments since he won’t be able to drive. Steve doesn’t want his team to stop their lives to take care of him, not that he really wants his sister to either. “What about your job?”

“I only have a week left. We are going out of business. Netflix and too many Redboxes are bad business for movie rental stores. I haven’t found another job here yet.”

“Aww, I’m sorry Mare.”

“I was thinking of maybe just coming back to Hawaii permanently. I’m sick of LA and I want to be closer to you.”

“It’s not safe here Mary. We still haven’t figured out the Wo Fat thing and until that is taken care of you won’t be safe in Hawaii.”

“Now you are being just like Dad, Steve! Sending me away to keep me safe, you’re just like him. It hurt us and tore us apart when he sent us away after Mom died. Now we have the chance to reconcile and become a family again…Steve, you’re the only family I have left. I need you. I know you have Danny, Chin, and Kono with you and that you consider them family but I don’t have anyone like that here. I’m on my own, and I have pretty much cut ties with all my old friends here. It’s easier to stay clean without them around. I haven’t exactly made any new friends either.”

Steve sighs and rubs his eyes as much as he can with his casted arm. He is incredibly proud of his sister for cutting ties with the people who were nothing but bad influences on her. He also feels guilty for sending her away. Mary is right, he is just like his father, he sent her away to keep her safe but ended up hurting her instead. It would be nice to have her closer and he wants to be able to have what is left of their family back together again. He sighs again, “Alright, you can come out to visit for a while but not until the end of the week when you have finished work. We will talk about you moving here permanently when you get here.”

“Ok, I will let you know my flight information as soon as I have it. Are you really doing ok, Steve?”

“I’m doing as well as I can be, Mare. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m getting better and making progress and I will be out of here soon. Aside from the job, how are things in LA?”

“They’re ok I guess. I’m sick of it here though.”

“We’ll talk when you get here. It’s late there, I should let you go.”

“I miss you, Steve.”

“Miss you too, Mary. See you in a few days.”

“Bye.” 

Steve disconnects the line and sags back in his chair. His headache is back full force and he just feels completely drained all of a sudden.

“Why don’t you lay down for a bit, Steve? I’ll go get Sarah to help you.”

“No, Danny. We can manage on our own. I’m much steadier on my feet now than I was a few days ago.”

“You sure? You aren’t going to get me in trouble with this are you?”

“It’ll be fine. Just push the walker over here.”

Danny hesitantly does as Steve says. He stands close by as Steve pushes himself up in a standing position, he pauses for a couple seconds to get his balance before he reaches for the walker and starts his slow trek away from the window. Danny hovers close to his right elbow the entire time.

“Bathroom first.” Steve says before Danny can say anything about him bypassing the bed. It takes Steve longer than it should to walk the 15 feet to the bathroom and it annoys him but he’s doing better than he was before. His right foot still drags a bit with each step but at least he can walk now. 

“Just wait out here. I can manage this part on my own.” He pulls the door shut and leaves Danny waiting outside. 

A few minutes later Steve emerges from the bathroom and Danny helps him get settled in bed. 

“I take it Mary is coming to Hawaii?” Danny says after Steve is comfortable. 

“Yeah, the movie rental store she works at is going out of business so she has some downtime starting at the end of the week. She wants to come back permanently. Says she isn’t happy there anymore.”

“And you still don’t think it’s safe for her to be here.”

“No, Danny last time she was here she got kidnapped because of my work. I don’t want to put her in danger.”

“Steve, if Wo Fat really wants to hurt her, he will have it done, whether she is in Hawaii or LA. He has the connections to do so.”

Steve sighs, “I know. I just feel better when there is more distance between her and what is going on here.”

“I know, Steve. But Mary is all you have left for family and you are all she has. It will do you both some good to get reconnected. You have the opportunity so take it. You’ll only regret it when you are older. Besides it will be easier to keep tabs on her here than it is in LA, and she will have her big brother to protect her here, not to mention me, Chin, and Kono. “

“I guess. We’ll talk about it when she gets here. How was work today?”

“Fine. We were called in to work a bank robbery with HPD this morning but the robbers surrendered after a couple hours of negotiations. It was a pretty simple case.”

“Fill me in.” Steve says as he closes his eyes. His conversation with Mary left him drained and his headache is back with a vengeance but Danny’s voice calms him. Dr. Freeman said the headaches are to be expected for a while yet after having brain surgery. It usually isn’t too bad except when he doesn’t get enough sleep or he over does it in physical therapy. The headache is usually the worst after a seizure for some reason. 

Danny talks on and on about the latest Five-0 case and how dumb the bank robbers were. Steve relaxes into his pillows; his headache eases up as his body relaxes. 

It doesn’t take long however for Steve’s relaxed State to turn into one of panic when he feels a tingling sensation in his hands and feet and his legs start to feel numb. He also smells something he can’t identify. Steve knows a seizure is imminent at this point, he just doesn’t know how long it will be before it starts. 

“Danny, get the nurse. Gonna have another seizure.” Steve is trying to concentrate on his breathing and keeping calm but he can’t help the panicked feeling that overcomes him. 

Danny pushes the call button for the nurse but he isn’t going to leave his friend right now. He can tell that Steve is starting to panic. 

“Just breathe Steve. You’ll be ok. I’m right here and Sarah will be in here in a second. Try to calm down.” Danny keeps talking to Steve, trying to keep him calm and comfort him. Sarah enters just after Steve’s muscles tense up. Steve loses consciousness as his body goes completely rigid for about twenty seconds before his muscles start relaxing and contracting with the convulsions. 

Danny helps Sarah get Steve turned on his side. They both note the time that the seizure starts

“Just talk to him and let him now you are here. There isn’t much we can do until it stops.”

Danny talks to Steve as the seizure runs his course. Two and a half minutes later the seizure stops and Steve’s muscles slowly relax. This is the first time Danny has been with Steve during the entirety of a seizure.

“It will take him a few minutes to wake up. When he does he will likely be confused and he may not respond to you right away.”

Sarah checks his vitals and monitors his breathing while they wait for Steve to come around. It takes Steve nearly fifteen minutes to start waking up. 

“Steve can you hear me?” Danny doesn’t get any response from Steve so he grabs his right hand and asks him to squeeze it. Steve’s breathing is labored; his eyes are open but unfocused as they slide around the room trying to take in his surroundings. 

“Steve, squeeze my hand if you can hear me.” Danny commands repeatedly. Finally after a couple minutes Steve squeezes Danny’s hand. He still looks confused though.

“You’re ok, Steve. You had another seizure but it’s over now and you’re ok. Just take a deep breath and try to calm down. I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere. Sarah checked you over and everything is ok.” Danny keeps talking to Steve until he looks less confused and a little calmer. 

“Wat…er.” Steve manages to choke out. Speaking is difficult for him. 

Danny grabs the glass and holds if for Steve who clumsily tries to take if from Danny. Danny keeps a light grip on it incase Steve drops it. “Just take a few small sips Steve.”

Danny puts the glass down after Steve has finished drinking. He watches as Steve drifts off to sleep. Danny has never witnessed the aftermath of one of Steve’s seizures; he has always been pushed out of the room and not allowed back in until after Steve has regained consciousness and fallen to sleep again. He hates seeing Steve like this, so vulnerable and confused; Danny knows that Steve hates it just as much if not more than Danny does. 

The full implications of the PTE are just starting to dawn on Danny. He has logically known the result of the seizures and what effects they will have on Steve’s life, especially if they can’t be controlled, but until now it wasn’t really real. Danny sinks back into the chair he vacated almost half an hour ago when Steve first told him he was about to have a seizure.

Danny glances at his watch and is surprised at how late it is. He’d begged off work early in order to come see Steve. He finished most of his paper work and what is left can wait until tomorrow. Chin and Kono told him before he left the office that they would come by the hospital with supper for the four of them. They should be coming any minute now.

He sits back and watches Steve sleep while he waits for the cousins to arrive.

 

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next installment, it will unfortunately be the last update for about two weeks as I dont return until the 15th of July. I will post as soon as I can when I get home but I dont know when that will be. We dont get bAck until late at night. This trip is a blast so far, although I am exhausted and still jetlagged.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter, forgive me for any mistakes and/or typos I checked it over on my ipad while on the plane so I probably didn't catch everything.

Chapter 12

Chin and Kono pick up sandwiches for supper before heading to the hospital to visit Steve. They haven't seen him since he told them of his diagnosis. They were going to stop yesterday but Danny said he wasn't having a very good day and that they were better off waiting.

It doesn't take long for the cousins to travel the familiar route to Steve's hospital room. They enter to find Steve sound asleep in bed and Danny sitting next to him reading the newspaper.

"Steve's asleep?" Kono asks.

Danny nods, "He had another seizure about 45 minutes ago, he woke up for a few minutes but he's been sleeping ever since. He'll probably sleep for the rest of the night now."

"Aside from the seizure, how was he doing today?" Chin asks as he sets the bad of sandwiches down.

"Pretty good. He was in a much better mood than yesterday. He was sitting by the window when I got here. Steve said Mary called him this morning while he was at physical therapy and left a message. I convinced him to call her back and let her know what's going on with him. They talked for quite a while. Mary is going to come out at the end of the week. I think the conversation drained him physically and emotionally, about an hour after was when he had the seizure."

"I'm surprised Steve didn't talk Mary out of coming." Kono says.

"He tried but she wasn't having any of it. She wants to move back here, the movie store she is working at is going out of business at the end of the week. Steve is afraid she won't be safe in Hawaii with the whole Wo Fat thing. They are going to talk about it when she gets here."

"I think it would do them both some good for her to be back. Mary is the only family Steve has left."

"That's where you're wrong cuz," Chin says, "Steve has us too. We may not be blood related but we are all still a family."

"I know, Chin. That's not what I meant. It's just that aside from us, Steve doesn't really have anyone except Mary and they aren't exactly close."

"Well we will see who out stubborns who with that argument." Danny says as he starts going through the deli bag to find his sandwich. He finds his ham, cucumber, cheese, mayo, and mustard sandwich and sets it aside. He gives Kono her turkey and avocado then hands the tuna salad sandwich to Chin. He leaves Steve's roast beef, turkey, sprouts, tomato, and mayo in the bag.

They move away from the bed a bit while they eat so they don't disturb Steve with their conversation. Although it would probably take a lot more that a quiet conversation in order to wake Steve right now. He tends to sleep hard after a seizure and doesn't wake up until his body has recovered enough.

"How's he dealing with everything?" Chin inquires.

"Not as well as he is trying to project. He was ok today until he told Mary after that he seemed a little depressed. Yesterday was a bad day for him. He was really down and irritable. I know Steve usually isn't a chatterbox but yesterday he was even less chatty than normal."

"He probably just needs some time to come to terms with it."

"Let's hope so. I can't even imagine what it's like for him."

"I hope they find a medication that works for him." Kono looks worriedly at her sleep boss. She doesn't want think about what will happen to Steve if they don't find a medication that works.

They spend the next hour or so talking about various cases they are working on and some of their cold cases, trying to come up with new ideas to solve them. They don't notice Steve waking up a few feet away.

Steve wakes up slowly, he drifts in and out for a while before he truly wakes up. He keeps still and keeps his eyes closed as he tries to figure out what happened. He feels disoriented. It doesn't take long for Steve to realize that he had another seizure. His head is throbbing, he's tired, and he feels stiff and sore all over. Tell tale signs of a seizure.

Steve listens to his team talk for a few minutes before deciding to make his wakeful presence known. He wishes he could turn his head because right now turning his whole body seems to take too much effort. He finally manages to roll onto this left side so he can see his team sitting by the window.

"Hey Guys." Steve says quietly. He has to smile when he sees them all startle a bit.

"Hey Boss!" Kono is the first one up. "How're you doing?"

"I'm ok. What's going on?"

"We brought supper for everyone but you decided sleep was more important than food." Chin ribs gently. "We saved your sandwich for you if you want it."

Steve smiles but politely declines the offer, "Thanks. I'm not really hungry right now though."

"You should eat something." Danny says, the mother hen in him is coming out full force. "You still haven't put on any of that weight you lost."

"I know, Danny. I just don't feel like eating right now. Maybe I will have something later." Steve is getting annoyed with his friend's mother hen antics. Danny has been mother henning him since he woke up from the coma. It always gets worse right after a seizure.

Chin sends Danny a look saying back off. He can see that Steve is irritated with Danny and he knows that right now, so soon after the latest seizure, Steve probably can't handle much in his stomach.

"What's new?"

"Not much, we still haven't gotten any big cases, which we are ok with by the way." Kono starts filling him in, "Mostly we have been helping HPD out and working on cold cases."

"Seems the criminals have taken a vacation since you've been out of commission." Chin jokes.

"Too bad. Someone needs to keep you guys from slacking off while I'm not around." Steve says with a grin.

"Kono and Danny have been playing trash can basketball the entire time." Chin deadpans.

"Hey! That was only one time." Kono says indignantly.

"I won, just so you know." Danny grins triumphantly.

"Because you cheated!" Kono exclaims.

"Did not."

"Did too. You were using your foot to kick the rebounds in."

"That's not cheating."

"Yes it is."

Steve closes his eyes with a smile on his face. He can feel sleep pulling him under, but it is good to hear is team's good natured bickering. It makes everything feel normal, at least for a few minutes.

They can tell Steve is losing his battle with sleep. Chin makes the first move to head out for the night.

"Get some sleep, Steve. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, Boss. Don't give the nurses too much trouble."

"Bye guys. Thanks for coming by." Steve watches the cousins leave through half open eyes. Danny is still in the seat next to him. "You heading out for the night too?"

"Not yet. I'll leave after you fall asleep. You need anything from the nurse before you crash? Something for your headache maybe?"

"I'm good. It isn't as bad as it was."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Hey Danny? Thanks for earlier."

"What for? I didn't do anything."

"You stayed with me and kept me calm before it started. And helped me stay grounded after."

"Don't mention it. It's no big deal, you know how I like to talk."

"I know," Steve smiles. "But it really helped. I can't help the panicked feeling I get right before a seizure starts. It just happens and I can't make it go away." Steve laughs humorlessly, "I can go into a gun fight with heavily armed terrorists and stay completely calm but there's nothing I can do to not panic before a seizure."

"It isn't your fault, Steve. Dr. Freeman said panic or a feeling of doom is a perfectly normal reaction or aura to have before a seizure. You have to remember that most people can't control their mind or body's reaction to a seizure."

"I know, but it is still frustrating. After it's over when I wake up, I'm so confused and disoriented. I don't really remember much from waking up but I know you really helped, made me feel safe."

"You're welcome." Danny says sincerely. This is the first time Steve has really talked about what he feels like right before and after a seizure. Danny can see how much this is affecting Steve. "You should get some sleep."

Danny waits for Steve to fall into a deep sleep before he gathers his stuff and heads home for the night.

-H50-

Danny arrives home and opens a bottle of beer as he collapses on his couch. He still feels shaken up after seeing the entire seizure and its effects on Steve. He is glad Mary is coming at the end of the week because when Steve gets home from the hospital he will need someone to stay with him. Danny and the team will only get so much time away from Five-0 to be with Steve. They have had a lull in new cases for the last few weeks but eventually it will pick up again and Steve will be home alone. Danny doesn't like the thought of Steve suffering a seizure alone.

He remembers Dr. Freeman telling them about SUDEP or Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. He said it's most likely caused by respiratory failure or cardiac arrest after a seizure but the exact cause is unknown. Dr. Freeman told them it is important for someone to stay with Steve after a seizure so they can monitor for signs of respiratory failure or cardiac arrest and call 911 if necessary. Danny really really hopes that they find a medication that will control the seizures. He doesn't know what will happen if they can't control the seizures but he doesn't think it will be good. Steve won't handle it very well and Danny knows that but there will only be so much that he or the team can do to help Steve.

Danny flips on the TV and decides that it is time to stop thinking about all the bad stuff. He watches the first baseball game he comes across as he waits for his nightly phone call from Grace.

TBC

Let me know what you think. See you all with a new chapter in a few weeks!


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Steve spends the next couple of days working his butt of in physical therapy. He is making great progress with his therapy. Dr. Freeman says he thinks he will be able to go home the end of next week. Dr. Freeman also switched him to a different anticonvulsant after his seizure two days ago. Freeman said it may take up to a week for the new medication to take full effect so he shouldn’t be too concerned or disappointed if he has more seizures in the next few days. 

He talked to Mary again and she is supposed to arrive Saturday night at 7:30. Danny will pick her up from the airport and then bring her over to see her brother. 

Tonight Danny is going to bring Grace by to see him again. He hasn’t seen her since Dr. Freeman gave him the diagnosis. He is going to explain the PTE to her tonight. She needs to know about it so she isn’t scared if Steve has a seizure while she’s around, especially if Danny or anyone else isn’t around for some reason. Steve is nervous to tell her although he won’t admit it. He doesn’t know how Grace will react but Danny keeps telling him to relax, as long as he makes it so she can understand she will be ok with it. 

Right now Steve is waiting for Stacy to come by to take him down to the rehab ward again. His morning consisted of a shower and then he spent two hours doing an assortment of exercises and weight lifting for both his leg and arm. This afternoon he will work on walking again, along with more weights and stretches. It’s getting better but he still has to use the parallel bars or a walker for support. Stacy thinks he will be able to move onto a cane in a few days. He has a limp but Stacy assures him it will go away with more time and therapy. 

His appetite is almost back to normal now, although after a rough day it tends to disappear. He also doesn’t spend as much time sleeping as he did. Steve still has to take a couple short naps during the day but he is starting to spend more time awake than asleep if he isn’t in therapy. Dr. Freeman also stopped by to see him this morning. Steve is still fighting depression although he is doing his best to overcome it. The doctor suggested that he see someone about it, talk to a shrink to help him figure out how to cope better and get a better handle on his pent up emotions. Steve doesn’t like the idea of seeing a shrink but he grudgingly agrees to it after Dr. Freeman tells him that he knows a psychologist who is willing to see him that has background in treating veterans and was also in the Navy. Steve has an appointment with him tomorrow afternoon.

Steve is sitting up on the side of his bed with his feet dangling when Stacy comes to get him. 

“Hey Steve. You ready for round two?” She greets him. 

“Let’s do it.” Steve says. Stacy helps him get out of bed and they head down to the rehab wing. 

Steve pushes himself to get moving and tries to use the bars as little as possible for support. He works hard to keep his foot from dragging with each step forward. By the time he is done, he is tired and drenched in sweat but he feels accomplished. 

Stacy takes Steve back up to his hospital room where Sarah helps him cover his cast so he can take a shower and get cleaned up. She also helps him put clean dry pads in the neck brace after his shower. The padding needs to be changed out and washed every day to prevent his skin from breaking down and getting sore. By the time he is back in bed he is ready for a nap. He hates that he has to take naps and that he sleeps so much but he can’t function without a couple naps during the day. Besides, it’s not like there is much else for him to do. Steve doesn’t watch much tv and he can’t stand daytime talk shows, reading gives him a headache or makes his current headache worse so he figures he may as well sleep. 

Once he is all cleaned up and dressed in a fresh pair of running shorts and a t-shirt he settles in for a nap before Danny and Grace arrive in a couple hours.

-H50-

Steve wakes up an hour and a half later. Danny and Grace should be arriving shortly. Danny said he would pick up Chinese for supper and bring it to the hospital for the three of them. He is grateful for Danny bringing him supper. Hospital food isn’t the most appetizing and he is sick of eating bland, tasteless food.

Steve is trying to prepare himself and figure out how to explain everything to Gracie. He decides to wait until after they have eaten to tell her. He just hopes that Grace will understand and that he won’t scare her too badly, but it is important for her to know what is going on and what to do if he has a seizure while she is with him. She will just get even more scared if she doesn’t know what is going on.

Steve raises the head of his bed so he is sitting up more and waits for Danny and Grace to come. He doesn’t have to wait long before he hears a knock on the door and Danny and Grace enter.

“Uncle Steve!”

“Hey Gracie! How are you?” Steve greets the little girl with a smile.

“Good. Are you feeling better?” Grace climbs up on the bed beside him and gives him a hug. 

“Yeah, I am. How was school today?”

“Good, we were assigned a report on Hawaiian marine life. Will you help me with it?” Grace gives Steve the puppy dog eyes that she knows neither he nor Danny can resist. 

“Of course, I’ll help you. When does this report have to be turned in?”

“Next Friday. My teacher said we had to pick two animals and write a page long report on it.”

White Steve and Grace are discussing the details of the report, Danny is getting out the Chinese food he brought, along with the paper plates, plastic silverware, and three bottles of water. 

“Alright you two, let’s eat before the food gets cold.” Danny says as he pushes the rolling table over Steve’s bed so he and Grace can reach and set their plates on it. 

“What do you want, Gracie?” 

“Fried rice and orange chicken please.” 

Steve dishes up a plate for Grace before getting himself a plate of sweet and sour chicken with rice and vegetable lo mein. Steve normally won’t eat the fried rice, he prefers white rice normally but today he feels like indulging. Besides, he is still working on getting his weight back up. He managed to drop nearly twenty pounds in the first two weeks in the hospital.

Grace chatters about her day at school and how Chin and Kono had helped her with her homework after school today while she waited around at the Five-0 office for Danny to finish his meeting with the Governor. She also informs Steve of all the things she and Danny have planned for the next three days that she will be with him while Rachel and Stan are away. So far most of the plans involve the beach and surfing lessons but Grace makes it clear that they will be coming to visit him everyday too. 

After they have finished eating, Danny clears away the mess and Grace turns on a baseball game. This time it is the Twins vs the Mets since there isn’t a Yankees game on. Danny and Grace are cheering for the Twins since its sacrilege for them to go for the Mets. Steve is going for the Mets to win just to be contradictory and rile up Danny. 

When the Twins take the lead and the game goes to commercial break Steve decides it is time for him to talk to Grace.

“Hey Gracie, there is something I need to talk to you about.” He says as he mutes the tv. 

“What is it, Uncle Steve?” Graces turns so he is facing Steve on the bed rather than looking up at him from his side. It makes it easier not only for Grace to see Steve but for him to see her since he can’t move his neck to look down at her. 

Steve glances at Danny for support; Danny gives him a small nod and an encouraging look. 

“You know how I hurt my head really bad when I fell?”

Grace nods, “Danno says that is part of the reason you are still in the hospital.”

“That’s right. When I hurt my head I was bleeding inside my head and the doctors and to do surgery to remove the blood and make the bleeding stop. Well, my brain decided it didn’t like everything that was happening to it very much and it made me get this condition called epilepsy.”

“What’s epilepsy?”

“Do you know what a seizure is, Gracie?” Grace shakes her head no. “Well a seizure makes a person’s muscles get really stiff and they start moving and shaking involuntarily. Epilepsy is one of the things that make a person have seizures.”

“You have seizures? When?”

“Yeah, I do. It isn’t something that I can stop, it just happens sometimes and I can’t control it.”

“Do they hurt?”

“No, not really. Usually I fall asleep right before it starts and then I stay asleep for a while after it stops. I wake up for a few minutes and then I go back to sleep for a while. Do you remember when Danno was going to bring you to visit me the first time but then you couldn’t come?”

“When you weren’t feeling well and we had to wait for you to feel better to see you?”

“Yeah, well I wasn’t feeling well because I had a seizure earlier that day and I was sleeping when Danno was supposed to bring you to see me.”

“Will it get better and go away?”

“I don’t think so. I hope the doctor can find some medicine to give me so that the seizures will stop but I don’t know. That is why it is important for you to know about this Gracie. I don’t want you to be scared if I have a seizure while you are with me. Sometimes it can look pretty scary but I don’t want you to be scared to be with me if I have one.”

“I won’t get scared. What do I do if you have a seizure, Uncle Steve?” Grace doesn’t appear to be upset, just curious. Steve and Danny can both see that she wants to be able to help. 

“First of all if Danno or Uncle Chin or Kono or some other adult is around you should go get them; but if it is just you and me then you will have to help me. Sometimes I can tell when one is about to happen so I will lay down on a bed if I can or lay down in a safe spot on the floor. But sometimes I don’t know that I’m gonna have a seizure until it starts so sometimes I just fall down. If that happens, you need to make sure there isn’t anything around that I could hurt myself with, like a coffee table or chair or something. If there is something like that around that you can move you need to pull it away from me. Can you do that?”

Grace nods seriously.

“Ok, then you need to look at the clock to see what time the seizure started. After you move anything that I could get hurt from you need to just step away from me so I don’t hurt you. I get really strong when I have a seizure and I could accidently hit you if you are too close. I don’t want to hurt you, Gracie.”

“But you are already super strong, Uncle Steve.”

Steve smiles, “Thank you, Gracie. But when I have a seizure I can’t control my strength or my movements so I could hit something or someone really hard and hurt them or myself without meaning to. Can you tell me what you should do so far?”

“Get Danno, Uncle Chin, or Kono or someone if they are around. If it is just you and me, move stuff out of the way so you don’t get hurt, look at the time, and stand out of the way so I don’t get hurt.”

“Good! Then I want you to call Danno, Uncle Chin, or Kono, ok? That way you will have someone with you after the seizure stops because I won’t be able to do much. You need to keep track of how long it has been since the seizure started and you should tell whoever you call what time it started. If the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes you need to call 911 so they can come help me ok?”

“Ok. What do I do if it stops before 5 minutes?”

“After it stops, I will sleep for a little while, probably 20 minutes or so then I will start waking up. When I wake up I will be really confused and probably not able to talk. You can just talk to me and stay calm.”

“Talk about what? Can I get close to you again?”

“Yeah, you can come near me again. Just talk about anything. What you did at school or what you and Danno are going to do on your weekend or whatever. It doesn’t matter what you say, it just helps me to be less confused. You should also see if you can get me to squeeze your hand or ask me a simple question but you will have to repeat it over and over again before I will answer you or squeeze your hand. The seizures make me really tired so after I completely wake up I will go back to sleep for a few hours.”

“So if there isn’t anyone around I should move anything that could hurt you, check the time, stand out of the way, call Danno or someone, and if it lasts more than 5 minutes I will call 911. And after it stops I’ll talk to you and get you to squeeze my hand.”

“That’s right. Very good Gracie. There are a few other things you need to know too, ok?” Grace nods again. Steve is glad Grace is such a smart girl for her age, its making all this easier for him to explain. “It will look pretty scary but you need to remember that it won’t last long and that I will be ok when it stops. When I have a seizure I will probably drool a lot and make noises likes grunts or snorts.”

“Why?” Grace asks curiously. 

“Well I can’t swallow during a seizure so all that spit jus runs out of my mouth. And I make noise because my vocal chords contract and my lungs will for the air out. Sometimes it is hard for me to breathe so I might make a snorting sound when I try to breathe. Do you understand that?” Steve isn’t sure if he is doing a good job of explaining all this to her but so far Danny hasn’t jumped in or interrupted and Grace hasn’t started crying so he figures he must be doing ok. After Grace nods again, Steve goes on to explain some of the other things his face gets red at the next part. “I also might throw up on during the seizure or I might pee myself because I can’t control what my body does. It just happens and I can’t stop it.”

Grace can tell her favorite uncle is embarrassed by this so she wraps her arms around him in a hug. “It’s ok, Uncle Steve. It isn’t your fault. I love you Uncle Steve.”

Steve hugs Grace back and takes a deep breath. Steve is silent for a few minutes as he gathers his emotions. He can’t believe how much he loves this little girl. “Thank you Gracie. I love you too. If you have any more questions don’t be afraid to ask me or Danno.”

“Do you get scared during the seizure, Uncle Steve?”

Steve is quiet for a moment, unsure of how he should answer; he decides that honesty is probably the best option. Grace would be able to tell that he is panicked or scared before and after a seizure if she sees one. “Sometimes I do, Gracie. But I know that Danno and the nurses are here with me when I have one so it makes me feel less scared.”

Grace just nods and settles back into his side with her arms around him. She was badly scared when Danno told her how badly her Uncle Steve was hurt a few weeks ago. Steve and Danny can both tell that she is still worried about her favorite uncle. Every time she comes to visit the first thing she does is climb onto his bed and hug him like he will disappear. 

Steve is glad this particular conversation is over. It wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be and Grace seemed to handle everything well. He just hopes he explained everything well enough for her and didn’t scare her. 

All the attention is turned back to the baseball game as the Mets rally and tie the game up. Danny doesn’t really pay much attention to the rest of the game. He is watching Steve and Grace who still have their arms wrapped around each other as Grace snuggles in next to Steve to watch the rest of the game. He can tell Steve is relieved that the talk is over, Danny is as well. He is really glad that it went so well. Danny is really impressed with the way Steve handled everything and explained it all to the eight year old. Danny doesn’t know if he would have been able to explain everything that well. Grace didn’t seem to have any problem at all understanding any of it but then she is also a very smart eight year old. 

Danny may have given Steve crap about his poor mammal to mammal interactions and his horrible way with children but Danny can see that he was wrong on both counts. He can see now that Steve is really good with kids, especially Grace. She seemed to fall in love with him right away after meeting him at the football game a few months ago and Steve appears to love Grace just as much. As for the mammal to mammal interactions, Steve does really well when he wants to, or has to. He isn’t as emotionally stunted as Danny previously thought. 

“Looks like she’s asleep.” Steve says quietly, glancing down at the little girl curled up next to him. He can’t really see her face but he can feel her slow even breathing. 

“Yeah, she’s pretty wiped out. Listen Steve, you handled that really well.”

“You don’t think I dumbed it down too much for her? I wasn’t sure how much she would understand but I also didn’t want to scare her.”

“No, you did great. It’s hard to explain something like that to an eight year old. I don’t think you scared her too much. She’ll be ok.”

“I just hope she never has to put what I told her to use. I don’t really want her to have to deal with that.”

“I know Steve, but it is better for her to be prepared for it just in case. Otherwise she would be really scared.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“You did good. I should wake her up to take her home and put her to bed soon. We will stop by tomorrow too. Probably bring supper again if you want.”

“Sounds good. Hey Gracie.” Steve gently nudges her shoulder to wake her. She wiggles around a bit before sitting up straight. “You have school tomorrow so Danno is going to take you home for the night. I’ll see you tomorrow though.”

“Ok, good night Uncle Steve. I love you.” Grace says as she gives him another hug.

“Good night Gracie. I love you too.” Steve returns the hug and Grace slides off the bed to take her dad’s hand before heading out the door.

“See ya tomorrow, Steve.”

“Night Danny.”

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Steve sits in the recliner by the window as he waits nervously for his appointment with the shrink that Dr. Freeman recommended. Steve doesn’t really want to talk with the shrink but he knows it will help. He realizes that he hasn’t really been dealing with everything very well but it is a lot to deal with. This isn’t the first time Steve has had to see a shrink. He has been on several missions with his SEAL team that went so far south every guy on the mission was required to see a shrink afterwards in order to get back to active duty. He has also had to undergo annual psych evals while he was in the Navy, seeing a shrink isn’t anything new to Steve but it doesn’t mean he has to like it. 

Steve is tired, he has been awake since five, he woke up needing to use the bathroom around five and wasn’t able to go back to sleep again after getting back in bed. Normally waking up at five wouldn’t be a big deal for Steve but ever since his injury he tires much more easily. Before the injury Steve would wake up around five every day and go for a run or swim before showering, making breakfast, and going to work. He generally is at the office by 7:45. Ever since the injury though, Steve has been sleeping until seven or eight when Sarah or Stacy comes in to help him get ready for physical therapy every morning. What he really wants to do is lie down and sleep for a while but he can’t do that until he sees the shrink.

A few minutes later, there is a knock on the door and a man who looks to be in his early 50s enters the room. He is wearing a light blue button up dress shirt with black slacks and is carrying a clipboard. He’s wearing black framed glasses and has salt and pepper hair. 

“I’m Dr. James Tyson. You must be Commander McGarrett.” He sticks his hand out for Steve to shake. 

Steve shakes his hand, “Call me Steve.” He says; being called by his Navy rank right now is a bitter subject for him considering his time in the Navy is over. 

“May I have a seat?” He asks motioning to the chair near Steve’s. 

“Sure.” Steve answers flatly.

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

“Jeff tells me you have been having trouble coping with your injuries.” Dr. Tyson states.

“Jeff?”

“I’m sorry, Dr. Freeman. We grew up together.” He explains.

Steve is quiet for several long minutes. He really isn’t in the mood to talk to this guy and they way they are sitting is making Steve uncomfortable. He has to twist his body in order to see him. Steve kind of hopes that if he ignores him long enough he will just leave, but after almost five minutes of silence, other than the occasional pen scratch as Dr. Tyson makes notes on the clipboard, Steve realizes this guy isn’t going to give up that easily. That is ok though; Steve can sit here ignoring him for as long as need be. 

“Why don’t you tell me about your injuries and how they occurred?” 

Steve continues to ignore him. 

“Look Steve, I can’t help you if you aren’t willing to accept it. It is your decision, but I think talking to me is your best option right now. I know it is hard to talk about but in the end it will be worth it.” Again Steve says nothing so Dr. Tyson decides to give him an ultimatum, “If you don’t want to talk to me today just say so and I will leave, I don’t want to waste my time that could be better spent with patients who actually want my help.”

Steve heaves a sigh; he decides he is better off talking with Dr. Tyson. If he refuses help, he will get an earful from Danny and Dr. Freeman, probably Sarah, Chin, and Kono too. 

“Fine. But can you bring your chair around so I can see you better? Sitting like this hurts.” Steve motions to the awkward way his body is positioned in the recliner.

“Of course.” Dr. Tyson smiles at him and stands to pull the chair around so it is more across from Steve than beside him. “Better?” he asks as he sits.

“Yeah, thanks.”

“Good, now why don’t you tell me what you do for a living to start with?”

Steve sighs again, “I was in the Navy Reserve and I am, or was, the head of the Five-0 Task Force.”

Dr. Tyson nods as he jots a note on the clipboard. “How did you come about your job as head of the Governor’s Task Force?”

“What does this have to do with anything?” Steve asks irritably. 

“I am simply trying to establish some background on you. It will help to figure out the best way to help you.”

“My father was murdered by a terrorist that I was chasing when I was still on active duty. When I came home for the funeral Governor Jameson offered me the job with full immunity and means so I could catch the man who killed my father. She wanted to form the task force as a way to clean up the island and put a stop to major criminal operations here. Right now, that is all you need to know about it.” He hopes to close the doors on that subject.

Tyson nods again, respecting Steve’s command of changing the topic. “So tell me how you received your injuries.”

“I don’t really remember what happened, all I know is what my team has told me.”

“Let’s start with that then.”

“My partner Danny and I went on a hike on our day off in the Ko’olau Mountains. We went to see the petroglyphs up there. Danny is from New Jersey and hadn’t been there before; I wanted to show him some of the less touristy parts of Hawaii. When we got to the petroglyphs we found a body lying on the ledge below. I had climbing equipment with me so I climbed down to check it out. On the way back up I guess I must have grabbed a loose rock. It came down, hit me on the head and I fell. The clip on my harness broke so there wasn’t anything to stop me. I fell 40 feet or so, broke my arm and my neck on top of suffering a traumatic brain injury. Danny called an Army Medevac and they got me out. I’ve been here ever since.”

“Can you tell me more about your injuries?”

“Why? It’s all in my file. I’m sure you have already read all about them.”

“I want to hear it from you.”

Steve sighs and starts to explain the injuries he sustained in a way that almost sounds like he is reading it directly from a file. “I had surgery to stop the bleeding on my brain and was in a coma for eight days. A couple days after I woke up from the coma, I started having seizures. Dr. Freeman says I have Post-traumatic epilepsy from the brain injury. So far, the anticonvulsants haven’t been able to control the seizures. When I woke up I had some weakness on my right side and speech impairment from the surgery.”

“Your speech sounds fine now.”

“Yeah, I managed to recover that pretty quickly. I’m still working on getting my strength back on my right side, especially in my leg. My arm is almost back to normal now.” Steve is starting to relax a little and open up more to the therapist.

“That is a lot to cope with.”

“It’s not my injuries that are hard to cope with. They will get better with time and physical therapy. It’s the fucking epilepsy that I can’t cope with. My whole life is going to be different now. I’ll be discharged from the Navy. I can’t drive, I can’t swim or surf by myself, and I can’t do my job!”

“It’s a major lifestyle change.” Tyson agrees. “But just because the drugs haven’t worked yet doesn’t mean they won’t.”

“That’s what everyone keeps saying and I’m sick of it! Everyone is so optimistic about the drugs working and they keep telling me not to worry about it. But every seizure I have makes the chances of finding a drug that works smaller and smaller. I can’t not worry about!” Steve is breathing heavily now. “Fuck.” He says and stands quickly. “I need to lie down.”

Tyson gives him a confused look and is about to protest when Steve interrupts before he can say anything.

“Fucking seizure is coming.” Steve sways on his feet as he reaches for the walker next to him. Tyson quickly reaches out to steady him and helps him to the bed. Steve’s movements are clumsy and he stumbles a bit on the way due to the numbness spreading throughout his legs and body. After Steve is lying down Tyson steps out to grab the closest nurse.

The numbness is accompanied by blurred vision and an odd odor that is caused by neurons misfiring in Steve’s brain. The aura is one of the longest one’s he has experienced. It takes nearly four minutes before his muscles tense and he slowly loses consciousness. Steve seizes for a full five minutes before the convulsions slowly ebb off. 

After the seizure stops, Sarah takes her patients vital signs. She is dismayed to see that his oxygen saturation is running in the mid eighties; but after a seizure as long as that it isn’t unusual for a patient’s O2 sats to be low for a while since people can’t get enough oxygen in or out during a seizure like that. She places a nasal cannula in his nose to help get his sats back up to where they should be. Steve comes around briefly while she is getting him cleaned up but then falls into a deep sleep. She suspects that he will sleep for the rest of the day and most of the night now, the longer a seizure lasts, the longer it takes to recover from. 

Dr. Tyson decides to leave for today but tells Sarah that he will be back to see Steve tomorrow if he is feeling up to it.

-H50-

A couple hours later Danny and Grace arrive with take out for the three of them. When they get to Steve’s room there aren’t any nurses near the desk. The father daughter duo enters Steve’s room to find him sound asleep on his right side and Sarah at his bedside taking his blood pressure. 

“How’s he doing?” Danny asks quietly.

“He’s ok.” Sarah replies as she jots the reading down. “He seized a couple hours ago.”

“How long?”

“Five minutes. He probably won’t wake up this evening.”

“Probably not,” he agrees, “We will stay here for a while and then head out.”

Sarah nods as she collects her things and exits. “Ring if you need anything.”

“Uncle Steve had a seizure today?” Grace asks when Sarah leaves.

“Yeah, Monkey. He did.”

“Is he ok?” she asks worriedly. Danny sits in a chair and pulls Grace up into his lap. 

“Uncle Steve is fine. You remember how Uncle Steve said after a seizure he sleeps for a while?” Grace nods affirmatively. “Well that is what he is doing now. His body needs to recover from the seizure and it does that by sleeping. He will probably sleep all night now. He just needs to sleep so he feels better.”

“I don’t want Uncle Steve to have seizures anymore, Danno.” Grace states with tears in her eyes, her lower lip quivering. 

“I don’t either Monkey. We just have to pray that Uncle Steve’s doctor can find a medication that will control his epilepsy.” Danny pulls Grace into a hug.

“What happens if he doesn’t find one?”

“Then we just have to be there for Uncle Steve and make sure he knows we love him. This is really hard on him Gracie and he’s scared. But we can help him by being there for him every time he has a seizure. It is really scary for him and it helps him to know that someone is there. That’s why he explained everything to you last night.” Grace nods against his chest. Danny gently takes her chin and tilts it up so she is looking at him. “Grace it is really important that you know what to do when Steve has a seizure. Can you go through the steps for me?”

Grace nods and sniffles again. Danny uses his thumbed to brush away some of her tears. 

“First I should get you or Chin or Kono if one of you is around. If not I should move anything that Uncle Steve could get hurt on and check the time.”

“Good. And after that what do you do?”

“ Uh, I should stand out of the way and call you or someone. If it last more than five minutes I should call 911.”

“Very good Monkey. What about after it stops?”

“Ummm I should talk to Uncle Steve and tell him about school or what you and me did or something like that.” Danny nods with an encouraging smile. “I should try to get him to squeeze my hand when he starts waking up. Why does he have to squeeze my hand Daddy?”

“Because we need to make sure he is with it again. Being able to squeeze your hand shows that he is awake and starting to recover from the seizure. Grace, I don’t think we mentioned this last night, but if Uncle Steve can’t squeeze your hand after a while or if he doesn’t wake up after then you should call 911 then too.”

“Ok…Is Uncle Steve gonna die, Danno?” 

“No, Monkey, he isn’t going to die. He is gonna be around to annoy me for a long long time.” Danny reassures his daughter. He hugs her tighter as he feels tears well in his own eyes. He prays that it’s true. 

“Good, I don’t want Uncle Steve to die.” She sniffles.

“Me neither, Gracie, me neither. Uncle Steve is fine though Gracie. It will just take him a while to recover from all his injuries and get the seizures under control. It may be a while before he can get back to doing everything he did before but he will get there.”

“How long will that take?” Grace sniffles and wipes the tears away with the back of her hand.

“I don’t know Grace. Hopefully not long.”

 

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Steve wakes up the following morning feeling very stiff and very sore. He also has just about the worst headache he has ever experienced in his life and an upset stomach. It doesn’t take long for him to realize that he must have had a seizure. He remembers talking with Dr. Tyson yesterday but doesn’t remember anything after that. He glances at the clock and sees that it is a few minutes after nine, he can tell by the light coming through the curtains that it is morning. His appointment yesterday was at 3 so Steve figures that he must have slept for 17 hours give or take. He doesn’t think he has ever slept that long in his life. He runs a hand over his face, fingering the nasal cannula supplying oxygen to his body. 

He reaches for the call light that is clipped to the blanket near his right hand. He semi-patiently waits for the nurse to come in and help him to the bathroom and to ask her for something for his headache. Steve feels like he needs to go pretty badly but with as stiff and sore as he is feeling he decides that he is better off waiting for someone to come help him. With his luck if he attempts to make it to the bathroom on his own he will end up on the floor. Despite what Danny thinks, Steve does know his body’s limits and he knows exactly what he can and can’t handle based on the signals his body is sending him; and right now, as much as Steve hates to admit it, it is telling him that he won’t make it to the bathroom and back without face planting on the floor. He doesn’t want to do anything that would risk putting his recovery back even more, not to mention it would be embarrassing to pass out on the floor while trying to make it to the bathroom. He is fed up with being in the hospital and will do whatever it takes to get out. 

It doesn’t take long for Sarah to come. “Good morning Steve.” She greets him. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Like shit.” He answers bluntly; he isn’t in the mood to put on an act of feeling fine right now. “Can you help me to the bathroom please?”

“Of course, you look like you are hurting. Do you want something for it?” She asks, observing his tightly knit brow as she removes the oxygen tubing and coils it before hanging it up. 

“Yeah, that would be great. I have a really bad headache. Haven’t felt this bad since Hell Week was over.” Steve remembers feeling pretty much the same as he is feeling now after a week of virtually no sleep and pushing himself to his physical and mental limits. He survived though and he will survive this too. Steve feels shaky as he slowly makes his way to the bathroom. His right foot is dragging more than it did yesterday.

“Do you feel up to showering and getting cleaned up a bit right now or do you want to wait?” Sarah asks as she maneuvers the walker out of the bathroom. 

“I think I better wait. I don’t think I can make it through a shower right now.”

“That’s fine, you can shower when you feel better. Just let me know and I will help you. Stacy decided to give you the day off from therapy today after hearing about your afternoon yesterday.”

“How long was it?”

“Five minutes. It’s no wonder you feel as bad as you do right now. Any dizziness or nausea with your headache?”

“Both. Didn’t feel dizzy until just a minute ago.”

“I’ll give you something to settle your stomach too. Will you be ok in here for a few minutes?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, I will be back in a couple minutes with your medications.” Sarah says and leaves him to tend to his business in the bathroom. 

It takes Steve a little longer than usual to finish his business and get washed up a bit. He decides not to shave today and just runs a wash cloth over his face and brushes his teeth. He stares at his reflection in the mirror, his complexion is pale and despite nearly 17 hours of sleep he has dark circles under his eyes. He looks awful. 

True to her word, Sarah returns a few minutes later. She helps him get settled on the bed again and gives him is pills, along with a painkiller and an anti-nausea medication. Sarah also brought him a small can of ginger ale and a few crackers. 

Steve is asleep again in seconds after Sarah leaves. He doesn’t wake up again until his lunch tray is brought in at noon. He isn’t nauseous anymore but he doesn’t feel like eating. His head is still pounding and despite all the sleep he has gotten he still feels exhausted. Steve manages a few bites before his stomach starts churning again. He drinks the ginger ale and pushes his tray away. He pushes the call button for Sarah with the hopes that she can give him something more for this migraine-like headache. 

He flips through the channels on TV, hoping to find something that will distract him from the pain in his head; however, the noise from the TV only serves to exacerbate the headache. He quickly shuts it off and sags into his pillows, clenching his eyes closed against the pain. 

Suddenly there is a knock at the door. “Come in.” He answers, expecting to see Sarah. He is surprised to see Dr. Tyson enter.

“Good afternoon, Steve. How are you feeling today?”

“Shitty.” He says bluntly. Normally he would lie and say he is fine but he is pretty sure his looks are betraying him on all fronts today. He is sure his face is showing how much pain he is in. Besides, he can’t muster up the energy to try convincing Dr. Tyson that he is fine.

“You had a pretty rough afternoon yesterday.”

Steve doesn’t reply. What is there to say? He doesn’t feel like dealing with all this right now. His head is killing him, his stomach is churning, and he wants to take another nap. 

Steve is saved from a forced conversation with Dr. Tyson when there is another knock on the door and Sarah enters. 

“What can I do for you, Steve?” She asks kindly. “Hello Dr. Tyson.” Sarah adds when she notices him standing a few feet from the door. He nods at her, acknowledging the greeting.

“Can I have something more for my head?”

“Certainly. Did what I gave you earlier help at all?”

“Not really, it hasn’t gone down at all since I woke up this morning. I think it is even getting a little worse.” Steve confides in her, completely ignoring Dr. Tyson. 

“On a scale of 1-10 what’s your headache at?” 

“Like a 9 maybe even a 10.”

“Dr. Freeman said you can have something stronger if the pills don’t work. I’ll get some Demerol and be right back.”

“Thank you.” Steve lies back in bed and closes his eyes. The throbbing in his head has increased in the last couple minutes and his stomach is threatening to betray him. He is starting to think that his lunch may make a reappearance soon. 

Dr. Tyson can see his patient starting to turn green around the gills and quickly grabs the emesis basin from the table and hands it to Steve just in time. Steve heaves and retches, expelling the meager contents of his stomach. He continues to dry heave after his stomach is empty. When he is finally finished, Dr. Tyson wordlessly takes the basin and empties it out. 

Sarah returns just as Steve is finishing throwing up. He looks miserable, she thinks. She quickly injects the pain medication into his IV port before checking over his vital signs. Dr. Tyson returns from the bathroom with a clean basin and some water for Steve to rinse his mouth out with. 

Steve gratefully takes the glass and proceeds to rinse and swish. “Thanks.” He says when he is finished.

“How are you feeling now?” Dr. Tyson asks. 

“A bit better. Head doesn’t hurt as much.” Steve still feels exhausted but the throbbing in his head has lessened a bit, for which he is grateful.

“Do you still feel sick, Steve?” Sarah asks while taking his temperature in his ear.

“No, not anymore. I think it was the headache that made me sick. The Demerol is working.”

“Good. Let me know if your headache spikes again or if you feel sick again. In the meantime you should get some more rest. Your body is still recovering from the seizure yesterday, which is why you feel so bad right now. Is there anything else I can get for you before I go?”

“No. Thank you though.” He sinks into his pillows and lets his eyes fall shut.

Dr. Tyson speaks as Sarah is leaving the room. “Steve, I just came by to see how you were doing today. I won’t keep you from your rest any longer but I will be back to see you again on Monday afternoon. Hopefully by then you will be feeling better and we can make some headway on finding a way to help you cope with the seizures.”

Steve cracks an eye open to look at Dr. Tyson. “Thank you.” 

Dr. Tyson nods and leaves the room. 

Steve is finally alone again. His headache is down to a manageable level thanks to the shot of pain medication that Sarah gave him. He still feels exhausted though despite sleeping for the majority of the last 21 hours. Steve hates feeling like this. He wants nothing more than to just feel normal again, something that he hasn’t felt for over three weeks. He wants to get out of the hospital and go back to living his life. It’s not going to happen though, not anytime soon anyway. 

Steve sighs and shakes himself from his dark thoughts. He needs to get some more sleep before Danny and Grace come by later. Mary is supposed to arrive tonight. Steve is looking forward to seeing his sister but at the same time he is nervous for her to see him like this. He needs to sleep some more before Mary gets here if he wants her to believe that he really is doing ok. 

Steve does his best to get comfortable, after finding a semi comfortable position he drifts off to sleep. 

-H50-

Steve wakes several hours later to find that he is feeling much better than he was earlier. He keeps his eyes shut while he assesses his condition. He is pleasantly surprised to find that his headache is pretty much gone and he no longer feels exhausted. He stretches a bit in bed, his muscles are still stiff and sore and will be for a day or two longer but he really can’t complain about how he is feeling. 

When he finally opens his eyes, Danny, Grace, Chin, and Kono are all sitting at his bedside watching him come awake.

“Don’t you guys have anything better to do on a Saturday afternoon than watch me sleep?” 

“Obviously not.” Chin says. “How are you doing? Sarah said you have had a rough time of it the last 24 hours.”

“Better.” He smiles. “Headache is almost gone.” Steve fumbles around, searching for the bed control so he can sit up.

“Here Boss.” Kono says holding the remote that must have fallen off the side of the bed while he was asleep.

“Thanks Kono.” Steve says as he raises the bed so he is nearly sitting upright. “What are you guys up to today?”

“Nothing much.” Danny answers, “We went to the beach earlier. Kono gave Grace another surfing lesson and we went for shave ice at Kamekona’s after.”

Grace crawls up onto the bed and gives him a hug before settling in beside him. “We brought you some Uncle Steve but it was melting while you were asleep so I ate it before it all melted.” 

Steve laughs, “That was very nice of you Gracie. Wasting shave ice is a crime, I’m glad you enjoyed it for me.” Steve tickles Grace until she is in a fit of giggles. “How long have you been here?”

“A little over an hour now. We didn’t want to wake you.” 

“Chin and I stopped by your house earlier. We got Mary’s room ready for her and got a few groceries for her too. Aired the place out a bit and cleaned out your fridge, it was starting to reek.” 

“I think the lettuce was starting to ferment.” Chin says.

Steve wrinkles his nose, he can’t remember when he bought the lettuce but he is pretty sure it was questionable before he ended up in the hospital. He can only imagine the condition of the contents of his fridge after three weeks of nonuse.

“Thanks guys.” Steve says. “You didn’t have to do all that.”

“We didn’t want Mary to get stuck dealing with everything when she gets here tonight.” Kono says.

“Thank you.”

“Hey Steve, what do you feel like eating for supper? Kono and I are going go to pick something up for everyone later.”

Steve has to think for a minute, he isn’t sure what he wants to eat. He feels like he is starving. The last time he ate and it stayed down would have been lunch yesterday. He missed supper last night and breakfast this morning because he was still sleeping and his lunch didn’t stay down for long. He finally comes to a decision after a few minutes. “How about some loco moco?”

“We can do that. What do you want Danny? We’ll order from Ono Laulau’s.”

“Just a hamburger for me. What about you Gracie?”

“I want loco moco too.” She says. Danny makes a face; he thinks loco moco is one of the most disgusting foods after ham and pineapple pizza. He can’t figure out where he went wrong that Grace likes both loco moco and ham and pineapple pizza. 

“Alright, we will go get it in a little while.” Chin says, making a mental list of what he needs to order.

“How was your surfing lesson Gracie?” Steve asks the little girl who is still curled up beside him. 

“Good. I only fell once! And I made it all the way to shore three times!”

“That’s great, Gracie! You’ll be rivaling Kono’s skills in no time.” Steve winks at Grace as she giggles.

“Watch it, Bossman.” Kono says playfully.

“Can we go surfing together when you are better, Uncle Steve?” Grace puts on her puppy dog eyes, even though she knows the answer will be yes.

“Of course. As soon as my doctor says it is ok we’ll go, alright?”

Grace nods enthusiastically with a big smile on her face.

Grace chatters on about everything else she did today and what she did in school yesterday, as well as what she and Danno did when she was out of school. She is going to bring her science book and note book tomorrow so Steve can help her with her report on Hawaiian marine life. Grace and Steve are talking about her report when Chin and Kono leave to go get supper for the group. 

It doesn’t take long for the cousins to return with four loco mocos and a hamburger for Danny. Despite being famished, Steve eats slowly. It is hard to eat with the neck brace on without making a mess, especially since he is only propped up in bed and not sitting completely upright at a table. Steve finishes eating after everyone else but he is satisfied when he’s done. 

Shortly after everyone is finished eating and they have the mess cleaned up Danny announces that he needs to leave in order to go pick up Mary from the airport on time. 

“Come one Grace, let’s go pick up Mary and then we’ll come back.” Danny says fishing his keys out of his pocket.

“But Danno, I want to stay with Uncle Steve.”

“Grace, we won’t be gone for very long and we will come right back here to see Uncle Steve.”

“Please Danno?”

“She’ll be fine here Danny. Besides you won’t be gone that long.” Steve says. 

“Alright Gracie, you can stay. But be good and listen to Steve, Chin, and Kono.”

-H50-

Danny waits at the baggage claim for Mary. According to the arrivals monitor her plane was scheduled to land about ten minutes early. He doesn’t have to wait long to see Mary push her way through the crowd. He pulls her into a hug as soon as she is within reach. 

“How’s it going Mary?” 

“I’m ok, how is Steve?” Mary returns the hug.

“He’s holding it together for now. I’ll tell you more about it on the way to the hospital. Which bag is yours?”

“It’s an old blue and silver suitcase.”

They have to wait a few minutes for Mary’s suitcase to show up on the carousel. Danny grabs it as soon as he can and the pair head out to his Camaro. 

“Have you eaten yet? We can stop somewhere on the way and grab something if you’re hungry.” Danny says as he points the car towards the short term parking exit.

“I’m good. I ate at the airport before takeoff. How’s Steve really doing, Danny?” 

“Not as well as he’s trying to make everyone believe but he’s trying to cope with it. He saw a psychologist yesterday on the recommendation of his doctor.”

“I bet that went over well.” Mary’s tone is full of sarcasm.

“Steve actually agreed to it. I think he’s realizing that he can’t handle it all on his own. I don’t know any details about the session but he seized before it was over. It was a bad one, lasted five full minutes and took him all night and pretty much all day today to get over according to his nurse. Sarah said he had a terrible headache all day. She gave him a shot of Demerol this afternoon that finally took care of the headache enough that he could get some good sleep. He slept all afternoon, didn’t wake up until almost 5 after me, Grace, Chin, and Kono had been there for an hour.”

“Is he feeling better now?” Mary asks full of concern for her big brother. 

“Yeah, when he woke up his headache was gone. He was feeling fine when I left to come get you. Chin, Kono, and Grace are with him now.”

“Have they gotten any closer to finding a medication?”

Danny shakes his head, “They switched him to a different one a couple days ago but it may take up to a week before it really starts working. So I don’t really know. Hopefully this one will help.”

They fall into a slightly uncomfortable silence as they both dwell on their own thoughts for the rest of the drive to the hospital. 

 

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

It doesn't take long for Danny to show Mary the way to Steve's room. On the way up he sent a text to Chin saying that they would be there in a couple minutes and that he was going to take Grace to the cafeteria for ice cream to give the siblings some alone time together and that the cousins were welcome to join them.

When they enter, Grace is still sitting next to Steve on his bed and they appear to be playing a game of Tic-Tac-Toe. Before anyone can say anything Danny beckons Grace away from her favorite uncle with the promise of ice cream and Chin and Kono decide that they will go with Grace and Danny for some coffee before heading out.

"Hey big brother." Mary says when they are finally alone.

Steve holds out his arms, "C'mere Mare." She sits on the edge of her bed and lets him pull her into his embrace; she wraps her arms around him in a tight hug. "It's good to see you." he says.

Mary buries her face in his shoulder. The hug is a bit awkward because of their positions on the bed and also because of Steve's immobile neck but Mary doesn't want to let go. Mary, or anyone else, never would have thought that a rough tough Navy SEAL would give good hugs but for as long as Mary can remember hugs from her brother have always been the best. His strong arms wrapped around her make her feel safe and loved, even if they don't exactly have a close relationship.

Mary finally pulls away and studies her brother, he looks good, better than what she had though he would after learning the extent of his injuries. "How are you doing?"

"Ok, getting better every day. The doc says I may be outta here by the end of the week." Steve has been hounding Dr. Freeman and Stacy about when he can be released from the hospital for a week now. He is ready to break out of here but at the same time he is, in a sense, afraid to leave the hospital. He is afraid of having a seizure outside the hospital, with other people aside from medical professionals around him. "How was your flight?"

"Long, boring. I hate long flights."

"LA to Oahu isn't that long of a flight." Steve ribs her gently.

"Five hours on a cramped plane is plenty long."

"What would you know about cramped planes? You're like a foot shorter than me, you have plenty of leg room." Steve teases his sister.

Mary laughs, "That's true but it's still cramped."

"Chin and Kono got the house ready for you. Your room has clean sheets on the bed and they stocked the fridge too."

"I'll make sure I tell them thank you then. Danny said you had a really rough day today. Are you feeling better now?" Mary asks as she studies her brother, trying to discern any signs of pain or discomfort on his face.

Steve sighs, "Yeah, it wasn't much fun. I feel fine now though. The headaches gone, I'm still tired and sore but I feel a lot better."

"That's good. Is that normally what it's like for you after a seizure?" Danny told her about how badly Steve was feeling earlier today but didn't say if that was a typical reaction for him.

"No, it's not, not that bad anyway. I usually have a headache after but it has never been that bad before, it was like a migraine. Normally the seizures aren't that long though either."

"Do you think they are going to find a drug that works?"

Steve shrugs slightly, "I don't know. I asked Dr. Freeman what the chances are and he wouldn't give me a number, said there are too many variables and not enough research to figure out a statistic. I'm starting to think they won't." he admits quietly.

"You have to stay positive Steve. It's only been a couple weeks since this all started. Be patient and give it time. Don't give up."

Steve doesn't want to talk about it anymore so he changes the subject. "Listen Mary, about you moving back-"

"Not right now, Steve. We can discuss this when you get out of the hospital. There's no rush." Mary's tone left no room for argument.

Honestly, Steve doesn't really feel like arguing with his sister right now so he changes the subject again. "How was your last week of work?"

"It was ok, I'm thinking about going back to school."

Steve is shocked; school was never really Mary's thing. She isn't dumb but she never applied herself in school, especially after their mom died. "Oh yeah? What for?"

"I'll let you know when I figure it out, but if I ever want to get a decent job I need to get a degree. I'm kinda sick of these dead end jobs."

Steve smiles genuinely at his baby sister. She is finally starting to grow up and be responsible. "Good for you Mary. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you." She whispers, choked up with emotions. It means a lot to Mary to hear those words from Steve. They may not be close but that doesn't mean that Mary doesn't want the approval of her big brother or that she doesn't care what he thinks. She is starting to turn her life around and it is something that she wouldn't have done without Steve's help and encouragement over the last few months. Her trip to Hawaii after their dad died really put things into perspective for her.

Mary can see that Steve is starting to tire; she is too if she is honest. One glance at her watch tells her that it is almost 11 in LA, 9 in Oahu. "I should find Danny and get going, let you get some sleep."

"I slept all day." Steve says annoyed with his body.

"Because you needed it. Still do by the looks of it."

Steve runs a hand over his face and through his hair. "I'm fine."

"Whatever you say Bro. I can hear Grace giggling down the hall."

Steve grins when he hears the childlike laughter coming from down the hall, it's unmistakably Grace and Danny laughing about something, "Danny's never going to get her to sleep tonight with all that sugar in her system."

Less than a minute later the father daughter duo enter the room.

"How was your ice cream Gracie?"

"Good! I had chocolate vanilla twist with caramel syrup and sprinkles!"

That explains why she is so hyper thinks Steve. Grace climbs up on Steve's hospital bed to give him a hug.

"You about ready to head out for the night?" Danny turns to Mary who is now standing several feet from the bed.

"Yeah, I think Steve is getting worn out." Mary and Danny look on as Steve and Grace discuss the finer points of ice cream flavors and toppings.

"Probably, I know he slept pretty much all day but it doesn't take much to tire him out right now." Danny explains quietly. "Come Grace. Say good night to Steve, it's time to go home."

Grace wraps her arms around Steve in a tight hug. "Good night, Uncle Steve. I love you."

Steve returns the hug, "Good night, Gracie. Love you too."

Grace hops off the bed and joins her dad at the door. Mary gives Steve one last hug and a kiss on the cheek. "See you tomorrow, bro. Get some rest."

"Night, Mary. See ya tomorrow Danny."

-H50-

The drive from the hospital to Steve's is silent. Mary and Danny are both lost in their own thoughts and Grace seems to be coming down from her sugar high. When they reach Steve's house Danny get's out to show Mary how to work the alarm system and carry her bag in for her.

"He seems like he is holding it together ok." Mary says out of the blue as they enter the dark house.

"For now anyway. I think you being here will really help him, especially when he gets out of the hospital." Danny says as he starts up the stairs with her suitcase.

"What do you mean?"

"He worries about you. He didn't want to tell you about any of this because he was afraid that you wouldn't handle it very well and start using again."

"I haven't used in over 6 months, I'm not about to start now! I'm not a fragile doll!" Mary defends, she isn't really surprised to hear that Steve is worried but she is still annoyed that he doesn't think she'll stay clean.

"I know that, Mary. Steve does too. But he knows about your record with rehab and he is just concerned about your wellbeing."

"Yeah, well, before I didn't want to quit, now I do. I want to stay clean, Danny. Besides he needs to worry about himself not me."

"Steve realizes that, but as your big brother, it is his job to worry about you. It's what big brothers do when it comes to little sisters, take it from me. Having you here will keep those worries at bay; it will also make him realize that you are serious about staying clean this time. Not only that, but Steve will need someone to stay with him pretty much around the clock in case he has a seizure. I think he will handle having you around better than me, Chin, or Kono because he won't have to feel guilty about taking us away from work since you are going to be staying at the house and don't really have any commitments here."

"I guess. He's going to be a bear when he comes home."

"Yeah, I am surprised he hasn't been worse. There were a couple of days he wasn't pleasant to be around but for the most part he hasn't been too bad. Dr. Freeman started him on an antidepressant a few days ago, I think it is helping but I know Steve hates taking it."

"That's not surprising. Steve hates taking meds of any sort. Always has. When he was a kid and got sick, mom would have to chase him around the house to get him to take his antibiotic or whatever. He was like that until he sliced the bottom of his foot open on some sharp rocks when he was 10; he had to get like 30 stitches. The crutches slowed him down enough that mom didn't have a problem catching him to get him to take the antibiotic. She still had to fight with him to open his mouth though." Mary smiles at the memory.

Danny snorts. "I'm glad to hear he has only improved with this. It's getting late, I should get back to Grace and take her home. What time do you want me to come by tomorrow morning to take you to the hospital?"

"I don't care, whatever works for you." Mary says around a yawn.

"How about around 10?"

"That will work for me." Mary says.

"Alright, we'll see you tomorrow Mary." Danny gives her a quick hug and bids her goodnight. Grace is sound asleep in the backseat.

Mary locks the front door and sets the alarm after Danny leaves. She heads for the kitchen to find something quick to eat before she heads to bed. She feels weird being in the house knowing that Steve won't be returning tonight. This isn't the first time she has stayed in the house by herself; last time she was here Steve often spent the night in the office when working a case. It feels different now knowing that he hasn't been in the house in nearly a month, knowing the reason he isn't here is because he is in the hospital.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17  
Mary spends all of Sunday at the hospital with Steve, despite his protests that she needs to go do something fun. Danny and Grace come Sunday afternoon before Danny has to take her back to Rachel; Grace brings her book and notebook so Steve can help her with her report. She chooses to write about dolphins and sea turtles.

Monday finds Steve spending all morning and most of the afternoon at physical therapy. By the time he is done he is exhausted, it doesn’t take more than a couple minutes for him to drift off to sleep. An hour later he wakes up to find Dr. Tyson sitting in the chair by the bed. 

“Hello Steve.” Dr. Tyson greets him when he sees that Steve is awake and looking at him.

“You know, it’s kind of creepy waking up to find your shrink staring at you, watching you sleep.” Steve says as he raises the head of the bed so he is in more of a sitting position.

“Just getting a head start,” Dr. Tyson replies with a sly grin, Steve raises an eyebrow. “I’m kidding. I actually had just sat down, I was going to wake you but you beat me to it. How was the rest of your weekend after I saw you Saturday? You look like you are feeling better.”

“Yeah I am. It was fine after the headache finally went away Saturday night.”

“Good. I want to pick up where we left off on Friday. Is that ok with you, Steve?”

“It would be but I don’t really remember where we left off.” Steve doesn’t really intend for that to come out as a smartass comment but it does anyway. He doesn’t really care though. He thinks that maybe he’s been hanging out with Danny too much.

“We were discussing the medications. You got upset because everyone but you seems to be optimistic about the meds working. You said you were sick of people telling you it will be ok.”

“Yeah, well I am. They don’t know that the meds will work or that everything will be ok. Nothing will be ok if I keep having seizures.”

“Why do you say that?” Dr. Tyson asks.

“I won’t be able to do my job with Five-0; I’m going to have to figure out a new career because I’m done with the Navy for good now. I won’t be able to drive, or even live by myself.”

“You’re going to have to make some changes but it isn’t the end of the world. Steve, just because you may not be able to do field work anymore doesn’t mean you can’t still do your job.”

“I can’t lead my team effectively from behind a desk. I can’t do my job from a desk.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I can’t lead them in the field from the office or investigate crime scenes. Interviewing witnesses or suspects will be impossible unless they all come to the office which is also impossible. I’ll be left with nothing but paperwork.”

“Have you been injured since you started working with Five-0?”

“Yeah, on the first case. I was shot in the shoulder. What does that have to do with anything?”

“I’m assuming after you were shot you were on restricted duty for a few days. Correct?”

“Yeah, I think three or four days.”

“Ok. What did you do in those few days when you were off?”

“Most of it was spent on paper work from the case. That and getting the office set up.”

“Has anyone else on the team been injured?”

“Not really. Danny tore his ACL and was out for a couple weeks.”

“And what did Danny do while you three were in the field? Or at a crime scene?”

“Danny would still go to crime scenes or on interviews but he sat out on the raids and arrests. During one raid, he directed it from the surveillance van.”

“You could still do that stuff. You can still lead your team and be a vital part of the team. Just because you can’t conduct raids doesn’t mean you won’t be able to help plan them or help with surveillance, you may even be able to go to the crimes scenes and conduct interviews. You don’t have to tie yourself to your desk because of this.”

“Until I have a seizure in front of a suspect or contaminate the crime scene because of one.”

“Steve, even if you don’t leave the office there is a lot more office work involved in law enforcement that doesn’t include paperwork. You and I both know that. You can still interrogate suspects, run down leads, analyze evidence and surveillance footage, there is a lot of stuff you can do without going into the field.”

Steve just sighs and says nothing.

“We aren’t getting anywhere with this right now. Let’s come back to this discussion later. You’re getting too upset and stressed out. I don’t want you to have a repeat of our last session.”

Steve closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths, he needs to calm down and relax a bit before it triggers a seizure. He still has another half an hour left of his session with Dr. Tyson. After a few minutes he feels calmer and more relaxed, he takes another deep breath and opens his eyes. 

“Are you doing ok, Steve?” Dr. Tyson is concerned about his patient.

“Yeah.”

Dr. Tyson studies his patient for a moment before he decides it is ok to proceed with the session. “Let’s change directions for a while, is that alright with you, Steve?”

“Sure.”

“Alright, why don’t you tell me how you normally deal with stressful situations?”

“Um, if I can I usually swim or go for a run.”

“What about when you can’t run or swim?”

“I’ll do pushups or lift weights, something physical usually.”

“Good. Exercise is a good way to handle stress providing you don’t overdo it. But what about when you can’t exercise? When you are out in the field or there is something preventing you from exercising like an injury.”

“I do breathing exercises. In the SEALs we learned ways to slow and control our breathing so we wouldn’t alert the enemy; most of the time it happens unconsciously.”

“We need to find a way to help you deal with the stress of you injuries in a nonphysical way. Have you ever tried meditating, Steve?”

“Not really.”

“I want to have you try it and see if it helps. I’m thinking that if the breathing exercises help you then meditating might also help you better cope with the stress of your injuries and the seizures. I want you to start with closing your eyes and concentrating on your breathing. In through your nose, out through your mouth.” Dr. Tyson waits for Steve to comply before giving further instructions. “Now I want you to try to clear your mind. Focus on your breathing and push the other thoughts out of your mind.”

He lets Steve work on that for a few minutes but he can tell that Steve doesn’t quite have the hang of it. “Steve you need to stop thinking and just concentrate on your breathing.”

Steve sighs in frustration and opens his eyes. “I can’t.”

“Tell me what you are thinking about then?” Dr. Tyson prods. 

Steve runs a hand over his face and then picks at the blanket covering his legs. He doesn’t want to tell the shrink what he’s thinking about, he’s tired of being psychoanalyzed and he thinks he’s done enough sharing for today. He wants Dr. Tyson to leave so he can take a nap. 

Steve is saved from sharing when there is a knock on the door and Mary Ann enters the room. 

“Hey, am I interrupting something?” 

“Hey Mary, no it’s alright. Come in.” Steve has never been so grateful to see his sister in his life. He is hoping she will give him the out he needs in order to end this session fifteen minutes early.

“This is my sister Mary.” Steve says to Dr. Tyson, “She just got her from Los Angeles.”

Dr. Tyson stands to shake Mary’s hand. “Pleased to meet you Mary, I’m Dr. Tyson.”

“Likewise.” Mary replies. She shifts her gaze over to Steve, “I can come back in a bit if you two need some more time.”

“No it’s ok. We are pretty much done anyway.” Steve says quickly, smiling at his sister and ignoring Dr. Tyson.

Dr. Tyson sends Steve a look but picks up his clipboard and starts for the door. “I’ll see you again same time tomorrow afternoon, Steve.”

Steve waves his hand, acknowledging Dr. Tyson and sinks back into his pillows after Dr. Tyson is out the door. He is so relieved to be done with therapy for the day. He was starting to feel overwhelmed by everything. 

“Thank you, Mary. You have perfect timing.”

“You’re welcome?” Mary says, unsure of what her brother means.

Steve sighs and rubs his face, “Dr. Tyson is my shrink. He’s been here for over an hour and I needed to be done with it for a while.”

“Glad I could be of service.” Mary grins. She knows how hard it is for him to open up to a stranger about how he’s feeling and that it is best for him to do it a little at a time on his terms.

“Hey, how’d you get here anyway? I thought you were going to come with Danny after he’s done at the office.”

“I got bored and decided to grab a cab to come see you.”

“You can drive my truck if you want.”

“See, I was going to but then I couldn’t find the keys for it. I thought about hotwiring it but I figured you wouldn’t appreciate that much.”

Steve just gapes at his sister who starts laughing. “I’m joking! I don’t know how to hotwire a car!”

Steve eyes her suspiciously, causing Mary to laugh even harder. “Seriously! I thought about driving the Marquis but then I remembered you and Danny only made it 9 miles so I figured I was better off catching a cab.”

Steve laughs, “Probably. The Marquis needs a little more work but I’m getting close to having it running again. I don’t know where my keys are though. They should be on the ring by the door.”

“I searched the whole house and couldn’t find them.”

“Huh.” Steve thinks, wondering where else his keys could be when it dawns on him that he had driven the truck to the Ko’olua Mountains on the morning of the accident. “The keys are probably in my personal stuff here. I took the truck when me and Danny went hiking. Is it at home?”

“Duh!” Mary exclaims, “Why would I look for the keys to the truck if it wasn’t at your house?”

Steve glares at her, “The keys should be in the plastic bag in that drawer.” Steve motions to the drawer at the bottom of the wardrobe. If nothing else there is a spare set in his desk drawer at Five-0, probably how Danny or Chin got the truck back to his house.

Mary retrieves the bag from the drawer and rummages through Steve’s personal effects that he had with him on the day he fell. It takes a few minutes but she finally finds them at the bottom of the bag. She holds them up triumphantly, “Found ‘em!”

“Great. You can drive my truck providing you don’t wreck it and you don’t use the police lights and sirens.”

“Aww, you’re ruining all the fun, bro!”

“Sorry to disappoint but you’ll get in serious trouble if you use the lights and sirens.”

“Don’t worry Steve. I won’t do anything stupid.”

Steve has to laugh at the last phrase, their mother would always tell them not to do anything stupid whenever they would go out with friends. Her last words before they would leave would always be “Be home by 11. I love you and don’t do anything stupid!” He’s sure that if she were still alive today she would still be saying the same thing every time they left, no matter that they are both grown adults.

“So how was physical therapy today?” Mary asks as she plops down in the chair next to his bed.

“Good, started using a cane today instead of the walker. Stacy thinks she’ll be able to release me to outpatient therapy in a few days.” Steve grins, he is anxious to leave the hospital and get back home.

“That’s great! How about your session with Dr. Tyson?”

Steve sighs and runs his hands over his face. “It was fine.” He says simply, unwilling to elaborate more on the topic. “What did you do today?”

“Not much, slept in, I tanned on the beach for a while and went surfing. That’s about it. I talked to Danny on the way over here and he said he would bring take out for supper.”

“Hmm.” Steve replies with his eyes closed. 

“You should get some sleep, bro. You look exhausted. I’ll wake you before your team gets here.”

It only takes a minute or two for Steve to drift off into a deep sleep. Mary sits back and watches her brother sleep. She hates seeing her big, strong, tough, Navy SEAL brother in this condition; constantly exhausted, scared, and vulnerable. She knows that he hates it too. As much as Steve is trying to hide all this, they can all see through it. It’s good to know that he won’t be in here too much longer though, a few days at most. Being home will do Steve a world of good, he will still have to come to the hospital five days a week for rehab but at least he will have a semblance of control back. Mary really hopes that Steve doesn’t have any more seizures. He hasn’t had one since the bad one on Friday. She can’t imagine Steve living the rest of his life like this, being hyper vigilant of when the next seizure will happen, unable to work, drive, surf, do all the things he loves. Mary is terrified for him.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

Tuesday passes just like the last couple have, Steve gets up early, spends most of the morning and early afternoon in physical therapy and then has another session with Dr. Tyson late afternoon. They worked on his meditation and talked more about the ways the PTE will affect his life once he gets out of the hospital. Steve is starting to open up more to Dr. Tyson but he still has a hard time with it. 

Right now, Steve is in his room eating supper with Mary, Danny, Chin and Kono. Mary made grilled chicken sandwiches and brought them for supper. She is telling the team stories about when they were kids and in exchange they are telling her about some of Steve’s antics in the office or on cases. 

Steve is laughing with them, even during some of the more embarrassing stories. It feels good to be surrounded by his ohana, feels normal despite being in a hospital room. Steve is starting to tire though. The heavy meal, along with the busy day, left him fighting sleep. Steve is so relaxed at the moment and on the edge of sleep that it takes him longer than usual to recognize the signs of an impending seizure.

“Guys.” Steve says with his eyes closed, his breathing has changed from slow regular breaths to rapid shallower breaths. That is all it takes for Danny, Chin, and Kono to realize what is about to happen. It takes Mary a bit longer to catch on. Chin steps out to find Sarah or one of the other nurses. Danny helps Steve get turned on his side in a somewhat comfortable position. Kono and Mary step off to the side so they are out of the way. Danny is quietly talking to Steve, keeping him calm by muttering quiet reassurances. 

Less than a minute later Steve starts seizing. Sarah and Chin reenter seconds after the seizure starts. Chin stands back with Kono and Mary. Mary hasn’t witnessed any of Steve’s seizures yet and is shocked by what she sees. Steve’s limbs are jerking uncontrollably, the fingers on his left hand are curled into an unnatural looking fist around the cast and his right arm his held tight against his body as it spasms. His eyes are opened slightly but all that’s visible are the whites of his eyes. They can hear him struggle to draw air into his lungs and see the saliva that runs out of his mouth.

For Mary, it makes everything real, she knew about the seizures before but actually seeing her brother seizing forces her to acknowledge everything. Mary can feel the tears well up in her eyes; Chin wraps an arm around her as she muffles a sob with her hand. She absolutely hates seeing Steve like this, as do Danny, Chin, and Kono. 

The minute and a half that the seizure lasts seems like a lifetime for all of them. The convulsions slowly ebb off and Steve’s breathing hard but he’s not having trouble drawing air in any more. He’s in a deep sleep for about fifteen minutes before he slowly starts to come around. His eyes dart around the room but they don’t focus on anything, Danny is pretty sure Steve isn’t aware of their presence right now. 

He slips his hand into Steve’s, “Steve, can you hear me? I want you to squeeze my hand.”

Steve’s eyes continue to dart around, unfocused. He’s still not aware of the people around him. Finally after repeatedly commanding Steve to squeeze his hand, Steve finally does. 

“M tired, Danny.” He slurs slightly. Danny is still not sure that Steve is fully aware of his surroundings or what happened but the fact that he is awake and talking now is a good sign. 

“It’s ok, Steve. You’re ok. Go ahead and sleep now.” Danny is still holding his best friends hand, watching Steve relax and drift off. 

After Danny decides that Steve is resting comfortably, he turns toward his friends standing near the window, acknowledging them for the first time since the seizure started. 

“He’s gonna sleep for a while now, probably the rest of the night.” He says to Mary. Mary has tears running down her face and she is slightly shaking. Danny steps up and pulls her into a hug. “He’s ok, Mary. He just needs some sleep and he’ll be fine. I know it’s scary to see Steve like that but he’s ok now.” Danny holds Mary for several minutes until she calms down. 

Mary takes a deep breath and pulls away from her brother’s best friend. “Sorry. I just…I just don’t like seeing him like this.”

“It’s a lot to take in.” Danny agrees. “Right now we just have to be strong for him. He needs us to stay calm when he has a seizure, it helps him to stay calm; he starts to panic and it just makes it all worse for him.”

Mary nods, eyes fixed on Steve. He looks peaceful now, breathing deeply, face relaxed in sleep. “I’m gonna stay with him tonight.”

“You should go home and get some rest, Mary. Steve probably won’t wake up until morning. Besides, Steve will be released in a few days and you won’t do him any good if you are worn out too.”

“I know but I don’t want to leave him. I just need to make sure he’s ok on my own. And I can sleep just as well in the chair here as I would at home anyway.”

“You haven’t been sleeping at home?”

Mary shakes her head, “Not well anyway. I don’t like being in the house by myself. It isn’t right being there without Steve since it is his house you know.”

“You stayed there alone when we were working a case last time you were here and didn’t have a problem.”

“Yeah, but Steve was at work then not in the hospital; and he would at least drop by at some point during the day or night to get cleaned up and maybe catch a few minutes of sleep.”

“I guess I can understand that. Hopefully he will be home by the end of the week.”

“I hope so; Steve is definitely sick of this place and ready to be home.”

“I know, he’s been bugging the doctors and nurses incessantly about going home for the last few days. You sure you want to stay?”

Mary nods, “Yeah, I’m staying. I’ll get a cab back to the house tomorrow sometime. Steve gave me the keys for his truck so when I go back to the house I can drive that.”

“Alright, I’m going to head out Mary. I have some things I need to do, I’ll come by again tomorrow sometime.”

“See you tomorrow, Danny.” She waves as he heads out the door.

Mary sits down the recliner next to Steve’s bed. He’s sleeping soundly and looks comfortable so Mary pulls out her laptop and starts researching PTE. Danny and Steve have told her a little bit about it but she wants to know as much as she can so she can help her big brother. Mary gets immersed in her research for several hours, oblivious to the time. It’s almost one am when she is startled by a whispered “Hey” from Steve.

“You’re awake! We didn’t think you’d wake up before morning. How are you feeling?”

Steve gives a slight shrug, “Ok, tired still but ok. What time is it?” he can’t see the clock from his position on the bed.

“Almost one. You’ve been sleeping for six hours.”

“Hmm. How long was it?” Steve closes his eyes.

“About a minute and a half.”

“Not too bad then. What are you doing?”

“Playing Solitaire.” She lies. Mary doesn’t know why but she doesn’t want her brother to know she’s reading up on PTE. “You should go back to sleep.”

“Need to get up first.” Steve throws the blanket off to the side and starts to slowly sit up.

“Hey, you should call a nurse for some help.” 

“I’m fine, just push the walker over her and I’ll be fine getting to the bathroom and back.” Steve gives his sister a look that says do what I say or else. Mary stares back at Steve before grudgingly giving him the walker. She stands close as he gets himself off the bed into a standing position and heads for the bathroom. 

“Mary just sit down. I’m fine walking to the bathroom by myself.”

“You sure you’re supposed to be up on your own? Especially after a seizure?”

Steve is about to lose his temper with his sister, “Mary, I’m fine. I’m still a little tired but otherwise I’m ok. I can go to the bathroom on my own. Besides, I won’t have nurses to help me when I go home so I need to start doing stuff on my own now. Just sit down and don’t say another word.”

He turns his back to his sister and continues to make his way to the bathroom. Mary is saying something but he tunes it out as he shuts the bathroom door. He takes care of business and is back in his bed a few minutes later. Mary doesn’t say anything until after he is settled back in.

“Look Steve, I’m sorry if I was being overbearing but I’m worried about you ok? I saw you seize and it scared me. I’ve never felt so helpless before in my life.”

“I know, Mary. I’m sorry for blowing up on you. I’m just sick of being in the hospital and being dependent on others and I’m sick of this fucking epilepsy. I need to start doing more on my own, so please don’t try to stop me.”

Mary looks at her brother for a few minutes; he has a pleading look on his face, almost one of desperation as he tries to convey his feelings. “Ok, but promise that if you need help you’ll ask. I don’t want you setting yourself back because you were too stubborn to ask for help.”

Steve ponders her proposal for a minute, “Alright, deal.” 

“Good, now go back to sleep. You look like you’re about to fall over.”

“Yes, Mom.” Steve grins.

“Shut up.” Mary gives him a playful shove in the shoulder.

Steve gets more comfortable and settles into sleep. Mary decides to put her laptop away and try to catch a few minutes of sleep herself. 

-H50-

Mary wakes up a few hours later to what she at first thinks is a loud snore from her brother; which is odd because Mary has never known Steve to snore unless he’s sick with a cold. When she opens her eyes she sees that Steve is yet again having a seizure. She quickly stands and pushes the call button a few times before she turns him on his side. Its three thirty six a.m. Mary isn’t sure how long he’s been seizing but she hopes that it stops soon. By the times Julia comes in, the seizure has quit and Steve is breathing heavily.

“Sorry, I was in the room next door. How long was it?” Julia asks as she starts wrapping the blood pressure cuff around Steve’s arm.

“At least a minute. I’m not sure; I was sleeping and woke up after it started.” 

Julia nods as she focuses on taking Steve’s blood pressure. Mary grabs a tissue and wipes the saliva from Steve’s face and chin.

“His vitals are all looking ok, his blood pressure is a little high but that’s not uncommon. It will come down as he relaxes.”

Mary nods, “how long before he wakes up?”

“In a few minutes. Usually 10-20 before he starts coming around.”

Mary sits in the chair holding Steve’s hand. A few minutes later his eyes open slightly and dart around the room. 

“Hey, Steve. Can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me.” Mary commands. She doesn’t get a response. Steve’s eyes dart around as if searching for something then they close for a second before opening them again to look around.

“Squeeze my hand if you can hear me.” Mary commands again. Steve’s eyes flicker toward her for a few seconds but they drift off again. Finally after several tries Steve squeezes her hand and she can see his eyes focusing on her. “You doing ok, Big Brother?”

“Ugh.” is all he manages to get out. He’s still trying to collect himself.

“You’re ok, Steve.”

“Wha time ‘s it?” He finally manages to ask. 

“Almost four a.m. You should go back to sleep.”

“Hmm. You stayin’?”

“Yeah, I’m staying. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Steve sleeps for the rest of the night and into the morning. He gets up later than usual and doesn’t start therapy until the afternoon. He only does one session instead of the usual two PT sessions. Mary stays with her brother until he wakes up but doesn’t get more than an a couple hours of sleep after the second seizure. She goes home for a shower and clean clothes while Steve is doing his physical therapy. Mary also manages to get a couple hours of sleep before she returns for a couple hours that evening.

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Friday afternoon finds Steve sitting on the edge of his hospital bed, dressed in a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a navy t-shirt. He is waiting anxiously for Dr. Freeman to come in and sign his release papers so he can finally go home after spending exactly four weeks and one day in the hospital. 

He was up early for another physical therapy session, at the end of which he was released from in patient therapy to outpatient therapy five days a week. Steve had another seizure two nights ago, just a short one that lasted less than a minute, but afterwards Dr. Freeman decided to once again switch the anticonvulsant medication yet again. He told Steve that if this one didn’t work they would start trying a combination of drugs. 

Steve looks up anxiously when he hears someone at the door; he is slightly disappointed when he sees that it is just Mary and Danny and not Dr. Freeman. 

“You all set to go, Big Brother?” 

“Still waiting for Dr. Freeman to come sign the papers.”

“He hasn’t been here yet?” Danny asks.

“If he’d been here already do you think I would still be sitting here?” Steve says sarcastically, he isn’t in the greatest mood at the moment. He is elated that he gets to go home but at the same time he’s nervous for it. 

“Good point. Chin and Kono are at the office but they are gonna stop by tonight for supper. We figured we could grill some steaks for a little welcome home party tonight. Just the six of us.”

“Six?” Steve asks. Chin and Kono only make five with him, Danny, and Mary.

“Rachel said I could have Grace for tonight since you’re getting out of the hospital finally.”

Steve just smiles, he is glad Danny and Rachel are getting along better and that she doesn’t restrict Danny from Grace as much as she used to. Plus, then Steve get’s to see his honorary niece more too. It’s a win for all of them. Steve won’t admit it, but Grace has him wrapped around her little finger, he wouldn’t have it any other way though. 

They sit and wait for fifteen more minutes before there is finally a knock at the door and Dr. Freeman comes in with a stack of papers.

“Sorry it took me so long. I had an emergency surgery come up this afternoon.” He says by way of entrance. 

“So can I go home now?” Steve asks excitedly.

“Let’s go over some things and then I’ll sign your marching papers and you can be on your way. Do you want Mary and Danny here for this?”

“They can stay. I’ll just end up filling them in on it later anyway.”

Dr. Freeman nods and pulls out a few specific papers. “Alright Steve, I know you are anxious to get out of here and get home again but you really need to take things easy for the next few days. You’ll still come in Monday through Friday for rehab but when you are at home I want you to rest. Either laying down in bed or sitting in a chair or couch. Nothing strenuous outside of your therapy. Ok?”

“I got it.” Steve says. Danny snorts. It is going to be struggle keeping Steve from over exerting himself at home.

“Good, it’s also very important for you to stick to your medication schedule. Don’t miss a dose or wait too long between doses. You really need to keep a log of your seizure activity as well now that you are out of the hospital. It will help figure out a dosage and medication that will work for you if we have detailed records of each seizure and if it was triggered by something.” Steve promises that he will do as he’s instructed. Steve wouldn’t miss a dose of meds anyway, he wants too badly for the medication to control the seizures.

“Alright Steve, we already talked about the other restrictions, I don’t think we need to go over them again?”

“No.”

“Good, I’ll see you next Thursday for a follow up neuro appointment and for your appointment with the orthopedist about your arm after.” Dr. Freeman says as he signs the papers and gives Steve the yellow copy, along with his written discharge instructions and prescriptions. Sarah enters the room with a wheelchair just as Steve receives the last of the papers. 

“I can walk out of here.” Steve says eyeing the wheelchair. 

“I know you can, but its hospital policy so if you want to leave you ride down to the car in the chair.” Sarah says as she brings it closer to him. She learned quickly after three weeks of working with Steve that she has to be strict and just as stubborn as he is for him to cooperate.

“Babe, the sooner you get in the chair the sooner we can get out of here.” Danny says slinging Steve’s duffle bag over his shoulder. 

Steve sighs but gives in. He doesn’t want to stay in the hospital any longer. He gets up from the bed and reluctantly sits in the wheelchair. Sarah pushes him down to the lobby and out to the curb where Danny has the Camaro parked. Danny puts the bag in the trunk and Mary climbs into the back seat so Steve can have the front. 

Sarah locks the brakes on the chair before Steve stands, “Here you are, Steve. I hope your recovery continues to go well.”

Steve stands and turns toward Sarah, “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” He says sincerely, giving her a quick hug. Sarah helped him so much during his stay here and continued to put up with him despite his sometimes extremely foul mood.

“You’re welcome. It was my pleasure taking care of you; however I hope I don’t have to do it again. It’s always unfortunate when I have a repeat patient.”

Steve laughs; he really hopes that he won’t need her services again as well, despite the fact that she is probably one of the best nurses that he’s encountered; which considering the number of times he has been in hospitals over the years says a lot. “I hope I don’t need your services again either but if I do end up here again, I’d rather have you, you’re a great nurse.”

“Thank you. It means a lot.” Sarah blushes a bit, “Take care, Steve.” She says as Steve turns to the Camaro. Steve settles into the passenger seat and waves goodbye as they pull away from the hospital. 

Steve is thrilled to finally be going home after being in the hospital for a month. He hopes that being home will help with the seizures and the other aspects of his recovery from his injuries. 

He is exhausted already though and is getting a headache from lack of sleep. He didn’t sleep the greatest last night. He had a nightmare from his days as a SEAL and woke up at about 2 am and wasn’t able to get much sleep afterwards. Steve doesn’t have nightmares often anymore but he does still have them occasionally. When he would first get back from a mission or tour of duty he would have them quite often, almost every night for a few weeks, sometimes even months after his return. Nightmares are inevitable in his line of work but they don’t usually bother him much anymore, he maybe only has them a couples times a month anymore unless something from work provokes them.

Danny and Mary are silent on the drive so Steve leans back in the seat and closes his eyes for the remainder of the twenty minute drive to Steve’s house. They make a quick stop at the pharmacy to get Steve’s prescriptions.

He awakens from his doze when the car comes to a stop and the engine turns off outside his house. Steve opens the door and slowly climbs out of the car. He makes his way to the front door, leaning heavily on his cane. He searches his pockets for his keys, when he realizes that he doesn’t have them he steps to the side and waits for Mary to unlock the front door. His house keys are still on the key ring with his truck keys that Mary has. 

Mary unlocks the door and holds it open for Steve before she disarms the alarm. Steve enters and heads straight for the couch. He is exhausted and as much as he hates it, he could really use a nap right now. 

“You should lie down in a bed, Steve.” Mary says. 

“The couch is fine.”

“Steve-“

“Mary, I’m too tired to make it up the stairs right now.” Steve makes it clear that he isn’t moving anytime soon. 

“Fine. Can I get you anything? Water maybe?”

“I’m good. I just want to sleep for a bit.” Steve says as he repositions himself so he is lying on the couch with a flat pillow under his head. They neck brace makes lying like this a bit uncomfortable but Steve doesn’t care much. There isn’t much he can do about it anyway considering he has to wear the brace for another two months more than likely. Steve wishes that he could take it off but he’ll wear it as long as he has to since taking if off could turn him into a quadriplegic. Steve is really lucky he isn’t one already considering the fall he took and the seizure that fully broke the cracked vertebra.

“Hey Steve, I need to go get Grace from school and then we are going to get some stuff for supper. We’ll be back in a couple hours with Chin and Kono. Get some rest.” Danny says after he come back downstairs from depositing the duffle bag in Steve’s room.

“Hmm. See ya later, Danno.” Steve’s already half asleep. 

-H50-

Steve sleeps until Danny returns with Grace, followed by Chin and Kono. All four of them come in carrying bags of groceries. They pass through the living room quietly, unaware that Steve is awake now. Steve pushes himself into a sitting position on the couch and scrubs a hand over his face. He feels much better than he did before he took his nap. His headache is almost gone and he no longer feels exhausted.

Grace, who was heading up the rear of the line, drops the two bags of groceries she’s carrying, thankfully neither sack contains anything breakable, and runs over to her favorite uncle. 

“Uncle Steve! I’m so happy you’re finally home!” Grace greets him excitedly, throwing her arms around him.

“Hey Gracie! I’m really happy to be home too.” Steve returns the little girls hug. “How was school today?”

“Good! Miss Taylor really liked my report! She gave me an A!”

“That’s great!”

“Thank you for helping me with it!” Grace gives him another hug. 

“Any time Gracie! Should we go help Danno and Mary with the groceries?” Grace nods and hands Steve his cane before picking up the grocery bags she dropped. The pair makes their way into the kitchen where Mary, Danny, Chin, and Kono are busy putting away the groceries and getting stuff sorted out for supper. 

“Hey! Welcome home Boss!” Kono says when she sees Steve and Grace enter the kitchen together.

Kono pulls Steve into a tight hug. “It’s good to have you home Steve.”

“It’s good to be home, Kono.” 

Kono pulls away and Chin steps up, shaking Steve’s hand and giving him a bro hug. “Welcome home, Brah!”

“Thanks Chin.”

“You ready for some steak and potatoes?” Danny says while he unwraps the steaks from the packages. Mary is standing at the sink scrubbing potatoes for Kono to wrap in foil to put on the grill. 

“I’m starved.” Steve says. “You need help with anything?”

“I think we have it under control.” Mary says. “Why don’t you and Grace go get some fresh air out on the lanai?”

“What do you think Gracie?” 

“Yeah, can we put our feet in the water?”

“Sure, but we can’t go any deeper than our ankles ok?”

Grace nods. Danny chimes in, “Gracie, you need to change out of your school clothes before you go outside.” 

The little girl runs off to change clothes, she has a spare set of play clothes at Steve’s to wear after spending the day playing in the water. Steve pulls a chair out from the table to sit. 

“You sure you’re up for this, Steve?” Danny asks, concerned. He knows Steve didn’t sleep the greatest last night and could tell he was suffering from a headache earlier. 

“I’m fine, that nap really helped. Besides it will be good to get some fresh air and put my feet in the water. It’s been too long.”

They can all understand Steve’s need to be outside right now. After spending a month in the hospital Steve is long overdue for some fresh air and sunshine. He’s lost most of his tan over the last few weeks so he is definitely long overdue for some sunshine.

Steve toes off his tennis shoes and removes his socks while waiting for Grace to return from changing clothes. He slides them out of the way with his foot. Grace returns a second later dressed in a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a pink tank top with matching pink slippers.

“I brought your slippers, Uncle Steve.” Grace says as she puts them down by his feet. Grace thinks of everything.

“Thank you Gracie! You ready to go outside?” Steve slides into the tan leather slippers that Grace brought him. He stands and Grace takes his hand. Steve wraps his fingers around her hand as best he can but the cast inhibits the movement, his right hand is occupied with the black cane. 

Steve and Grace slowly make their way down to the water. Walking in the sand is a lot work for Steve and its slow going to get to the water but eventually they get there. The pair wades into the water and just stand there for a while, not saying anything. 

Steve inhales deep breaths of fresh ocean air. He can’t believe how much he missed the fresh smell of ocean air and the warm sun on his face. It feels so good to be in the water again, even if it’s only up to his ankles. The water has always had a calming effect on him. 

Grace finally breaks the silence, “Do you still have epilepsy, Uncle Steve?” She is looking up at him with big concerned eyes.

“Let’s go sit on the beach, Gracie.” Steve gives her hand a gentle tug and they make their way over to the spot in the sand where they always sit together. Grace being the perceptive and caring little girl that she is sits down in front of Steve instead of beside him; this way he can see her better since he can’t move his head. 

“Yeah Gracie, I do.”

Grace’s face falls, “Oh, I was hoping that since you got to come home it meant the epilepsy was gone.”

“I wish it worked that way. My doctor gave me a different medication to take so hopefully it will work.”

“Will the medicine make it go away?”

“No, it doesn’t work quite that way. It will stop the seizures if it works, but the epilepsy will always be there.”

Grace wrinkles her nose in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“It means that if I stop taking the medicine the seizures will start again.”

“Oh..What happens if the medicine doesn’t work?”

“Then Dr. Freeman will give me a different medicine. Or change the amount that I take.”

“How long will it take?”

“I don’t know, Gracie. I hope not too long, but sometimes it takes a few weeks or months to find the right medicine.”

“I hope you find the right one soon.” Grace says as she wraps her arms around Steve.

“Me too, Gracie. Me too.” Steve returns the hug and holds her close. After a minute he pulls away. “I hear Danno and the crew out on the lanai, should we go supervise and make sure they don’t burn our steaks?”

“Yeah, Danno’s not very good at grilling.”

Steve barks out a laugh, “I know, he’s kind of a hopeless cook. It’s a miracle neither of you have starved to death!” He jokes as he tickles her side. 

Grace giggles, “Good thing he’s good at ordering take out!”

“Let’s go kick Danno away from the grill and get Chin to take over.” It takes Steve more effort and time than usual to stand up after sitting in the sand but he manages and soon they are making their way to the lanai.

On the lanai, Danny and Chin are arguing good naturedly about who is going to do the grilling. 

“Hate to break it to you, Danno, but Gracie and I are both with Chin on this one.”

“What? You turned my own daughter against me?” Danny says in mock horror. The truth is he knows he isn’t the greatest cook but he thinks he can handle grilling ok.

“No, her taste buds turned her against you.” Steve grins as he sits in one of the white Adirondack chairs. 

“Is that true, Monkey?” 

“Uh huh, plus we might have to call the fire department and that wouldn’t be good.” She says with a straight face but there is a twinkle in her eye. The adults all burst into laughter at that, with the exception of Danny-who barely manages to contain his own laughter.

Danny pretends to have a heart attack and drops theatrically into the chair next to Steve. “I can’t believe my own flesh and blood has turned against me!”

Grace just giggles and climbs into his lap to give him a hug. “I love you, Danno. Even if your cooking sucks.”

“Thank you, Monkey.” Danny laughs. 

The good mood continues as Chin mans the grill and the girls are busy putting together a salad. Steve leans back in his chair and observes his ohana. From his vantage point he can see all of them without much trouble. Steve is so glad to be home and surrounded by this group of people. He doesn’t know what he would do if he didn’t have them. He knows for sure that he wouldn’t survive all these life changes if he didn’t have them to support him, especially Danny. Having everyone together like this takes him back to the BBQ’s they would have before the accident. It let’s Steve feel normal and forget everything that he is dealing with right now, just for a little while. 

The rest of the evening continues much the same, with lots of laughter and lightheartedness. They are all thrilled to have Steve out of the hospital finally. It was a long thirty-one days for all of them. They all know though that it isn’t over though. Steve still has a long recovery ahead of him but hopefully he will be back at work with them sooner rather than later, even if it is just desk duty. Although none of them can wait for the day that Steve is back with Five-0 in full capacity after they finally find the right medication. 

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20  
Steve’s first few days at home go relatively smoothly. He got home on a Friday so he had the weekend to adjust to being home before he started with rehab Monday morning. He starts physical therapy at eight every morning Monday-Friday until eleven. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays Steve has a therapy session with Dr. Tyson. They decided to do all his therapy appointments as early in the day as possible since the majority of the seizures occur in the afternoon and evening, that way if he does have another he would already be at home and it won’t interrupt his rehab too much. 

Mary drives him to the hospital for therapy and picks him up again a few hours later. Steve hates having to be chauffeured around by his little sister, especially when she is driving his truck. Steve knows that he is a control freak, even though he won’t admit to it, but he likes to think he isn’t as bad as he used to be. It is still hard for him to give it all up though. He feels like he doesn’t have control of anything anymore. His life is dictated by his rehab schedule and he has to rely on other people to take him places and help him live his life and he hates it. 

It’s Tuesday now, Steve just got home after his second morning of physical therapy since being home. He is tired and wrung out but feels like he made progress today. He isn’t using his cane for support as much as he was. Towards the end of the day he leans on it more but the rest of the time it’s more of a safety assurance since his leg still isn’t up to par. 

He’s sitting on the ground out on the lanai stretching his leg while Mary makes sandwiches for lunch. He does stretches at the end of rehab every day but he’s found that his leg muscles don’t ache or stiffen up as much if he does stretches throughout the day. Steve finishes up his routine before slowly getting up off the ground and settling in one of the Adirondack chairs. He hates how slow he moves now, and how much effort it takes him to do a simple task like getting up off the floor or ground or climbing the stairs to his room. Steve can’t wait for his leg to regain all its strength so he can move at his normal pace again. 

“Hey Bro. You want water or iced tea with your sandwich?” Mary asks as she sets the two plates with sandwiches and fresh fruit on them down on the table.

“Just water.” Steve answers. Mary disappears for a minute but quickly returns with a glass of water for Steve and an iced tea for herself. She sits down across from him and digs into her sandwich. Steve eats all the fruit and most of the sandwich. His appetite is better since being home but he still has days when he just isn’t hungry. 

After lunch Steve settles into his recliner with the tv on a history channel documentary about World War II. Mary is reading a romance novel on the couch. It doesn’t take long for Steve to drift off for a nap. He doesn’t sleep as much during the day as he used to but after spending all morning in physical therapy he is in need of an hour long nap after lunch. 

He wakes up a little over an hour later to his cell phone ringing. He answers, “Hey Danny. What’s up?”

“Hey, we just caught a big case and I’m supposed to have Grace today. I can’t pick her up from school and Rachel is in a meeting this afternoon for some charity she’s working with.”

“Mary and I can pick her up from school and she can hang out here until you are done with work.” Steve says before Danny can even ask if they would mind picking up Grace and watching her for the afternoon. 

“You sure you’re up to it?” 

“Yeah Danny. I’m fine. Besides I love having Gracie here, and it’s not like she’s difficult to take care of.”

Danny laughs, “Yeah that’s true. Thanks Steve.”

“No problem. What’s the case?”

Danny hesitates for a moment before deciding that he’s better off telling Steve about their case. Otherwise Steve will just keep bugging him about it. “Double homicide. We think its gang related. Two men shot execution style found in an ally. That’s all we know right now.”

“Alright, thanks for keeping me updated Danny. Go work the case. Mary and I will pick Grace up after school.”

“Thanks partner.” 

Steve hangs up the phone and tosses onto the side table next to him. Despite the five minute conversation with Danny, Steve doesn’t really feel awake yet. He scrubs his right hand over his face and rubs his eyes, trying to get all the grit and goop out of them. He stands and heads into the kitchen for a glass of water and briefly wonders where Mary is. He downs a full glass of water along with his next dose of the anticonvulsant. He has to take it every 8 hours which isn’t ideal but he’ll deal with it if it’s the one that will control the seizures. He hasn’t had one in six days so he’s starting to get hopeful that maybe this is the right medication.

After putting the glass in the dishwasher he wanders into the dining room where Mary is seated at the table with her laptop. 

“Whatcha doing?” Steve asks.

Mary jumps, having not noticed her brother enter the room, “Dammit Steve!”

Steve chortles and Mary‘s glare turns into a laugh, it’s hard for her to be upset with her brother when he appears to be in a good mood. He’s been a bit sullen lately so it’s a good change even if it’s because he startled her.

“So what are you doing?” He asks again, sitting down next to her.

Mary just turns the computer towards Steve. Steve’s eyebrows shoot up, “UH? Really?”

“Yeah, I told you I was thinking of going back to school. I was just looking into my options.”

“So I take it this means you are planning on staying in Hawaii permanently?”

Mary nods, “I would really like to. I like it here and I miss Hawaii when I’m in LA. I miss you too when I’m in LA.”

Steve smiles softly at his sister. “I’m proud of you, Mary. You’ve grown up a lot in the last few months and if you want to stay in Hawaii then that’s up to you.”

“Really? You aren’t going to give me a lecture about how Hawaii isn’t safe?” Mary asks in surprise. She had expected more of a fight from her brother about this. 

“Mary, when I talked to you on the phone a few weeks ago and you first mentioned moving back to Hawaii, I was really reluctant to have you back here but what you said about me sending you away and being just like Dad got to me. I don’t want to hurt you and that wasn’t my intention when I put you on that plane back to LA. All I could think about was your kidnapping and what could have happened if you hadn’t called when you did or if Danny and I hadn’t found you.” Steve is choked up with emotion. It’s hard for him to express his feelings like this but it is something that both he and Mary need. His hands are on the table, fiddling with a stray thread on the placemat, eyes downcast. Mary reaches out and puts her hand over his. 

“I know you didn’t do that to hurt me, Steve. I know you were scared and just trying to protect me. I didn’t really mean what I said on the phone when we talked last time. I was angry and I was also scared.” 

“I know. I talked to Danny about everything after we got off the phone that day. He mentioned that no matter where you are, if Wo Fat wants to hurt you he will; he has ways to do so without even leaving Hawaii, so the argument of you being safer there is a moot point now. Besides, I like having you closer where I can keep an eye on you and I want for us to be close again. Like when we were kids, before Dad got so distant and Mom died and then being sent away.” 

Mary has tears in her eyes now, “I want that too, Steve. You’re the only family I have left and I don’t want for us to be distant anymore. But I’m a grown woman now; I don’t need you to keep an eye on me.”

“I know you are, Mare. But you’ll always be my little sister no matter how old you are. And as you big brother, it’s my duty to keep an eye on you and keep you safe. That’s never going to change.”

Mary nods, “I think I’m going to move back here and go to school. I’ll have to go back to LA at some point to get the rest of my stuff but that can wait. And I’ll have to find another apartment to live in here once you are back on your feet.”

“You can stay at the house as long as you want, Mary. It’s your house too.”

“I know, but you probably don’t want me around all the time cramping your style with Catherine.” She smirks are Steve as he blushes, “Speaking of Catherine, where is she?”

“The Enterprise is docked in Turkey at the moment. They have limited communication with the people at home right now so Cath doesn’t even know what happened yet.” Steve says quietly. He misses Cath and feels bad that he hasn’t told her yet but the only communication he’s had with her has been through email and he doesn’t think this is something she should learn from an email.

“Oh.” is all Mary can think of to say. She isn’t really sure what the relationship between Steve and Catherine is but she knows that whatever it is, Catherine is good for Steve. She hopes that when Catherine finds out she’ll be there to help Steve. She also hopes that she can get to know her better. They met briefly when Mary was visiting a few months ago. It was a really awkward conversation considering Mary had just spent the night before listening to her brother and Catherine have sex and because Catherine wasn’t wearing any pants, just Steve’s dress shirt from the night before.

“So Danny called a few minutes ago. They just caught a big case and he’s supposed to pick Gracie up after school and Rachel can’t because of a meeting or something. I told him we would pick her up from school and watch her until he can come get her.”

“Cool. What time do we need to go get her?” Mary closes the laptop and pushes it away.

“School gets out in forty five minutes so we should leave here in half an hour.”

 

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

They pull up to Grace’s school just as the bell rings. A couple minutes later a swarm of kids come out the front doors and make their way to the respective parent’s vehicles. It takes a minute for Grace to spot Mary standing in front of Steve’s blue truck and likewise it takes just as long for Mary to pick Grace out of a flood of kids all wearing turquoise polo tops with khaki pants or skirts.

“Mary!” Grace squeals and runs toward her new friend, Mary isn’t quite at honorary aunt status yet since she’s only seen Grace a few times since she came back to the island; Mary is ok with that though. Grace wraps her arms around Mary as Mary kneels down to Graces level.

“Hey kiddo! Danno had to work a case today so Uncle Steve and I are going to take you home for a while.” Mary explains after pulling away from Graces hug.

“Did Uncle Steve come or is he at home?”

“Yep, he’s in the truck waiting for you. Let’s go say hi.” Mary takes Grace’s hand, leading her to the truck. She pulls the door open and takes Graces backpack so she can get settled in the seat behind the driver’s seat.

“Hi Uncle Steve!” Grace says as she buckles her seat belt. Mary get’s in the driver’s seat and buckles her own seat belt before putting the truck in drive and heading towards the house.

“Hey Gracie! How was school today?” Steve twists his whole body in the seat so he can see Grace better.

“Good. Tommy said he rode a fifty foot wave over the weekend but I don’t believe him.”

“Remember what Danno said about listening to Tommy, Gracie?” Steve can’t believe some of the stories this Tommy kid comes up with to tell Grace. They keep getting more and more ridiculous.

“Yeah, we put the closed sign over our ears because he’s a pathological liar.” Grace says seriously. Mary coughs back a laugh. She doesn’t know about the things that Tommy tells Grace. “I don’t think Kono has even rode a wave that big and she’s really really good.”

“You’re probably right about that Gracie. Besides, fifty foot waves are pretty rare and you would have to be a really brave, really experienced surfer to attempt to surf a wave like that.”

“Not to mention crazy.” Mary adds.

“What are we gonna do at your house Uncle Steve?”

“I don’t know Gracie. Do you have any homework?”

“Just practicing my spelling words.”

“Ok, first we practice your spelling words and then we can do whatever you want. How does that sound?”

“Ok. Can we play on the beach and build sand castles after?”

“If that’s what you want to do.” Steve says. Mary grins at her brother, Grace has Steve completely wrapped around her little finger.

“And then can we go swimming?”

“Mary can take you swimming if she’s ok with it. I can’t swim until the cast on my arm and the neck brace come off.”

“Oh.” Grace’s face falls, “How long will that be?”

“Well hopefully I will get the cast off on Thursday but it’s going to be several more weeks before I don’t have to wear the neck brace anymore.” Steve explains to Grace.

“How come?”

“I hurt my neck pretty bad and then it got worse so I have to wear the brace until my neck is completely healed so I don’t hurt it even more.”

Mary parks the truck in the driveway and they all climb out and head inside. Grace dashes inside towards the dining room before Steve even has the alarm disarmed. By the time Steve sits down next to Grace at the dining room table she already has her spelling list and notebook out.

Steve grabs the list and starts reading the words for Grace so she can spell them out in her notebook. It takes about ten minutes for them to get through the list and for Steve to check her work and help her with the words she misspelled.

After she finishes her homework, Grace races off to change into the swimming suit she leaves at Steve’s place. Mary wanders into the dining room a couple minutes later dressed in a pink and white flowery sundress over her swimming suit.

“How’d the homework go?”

“Grace is really smart but spelling isn’t her greatest subject. She only missed a couple words today though. You sure you don’t mind taking her in the water?”

“What else am I going to do? Besides, I love swimming and having Grace there will make it more fun.”

“Thanks Mary.”

“Are you ready Uncle Steve and Mary?” Grace comes flying into the dining room, clearly excited to go play on the beach.

“You bet we are Grace.” Mary says, leading the way outside. Steve follows behind the two girls, stopping at the door to slide his feet into his slippers. He has a bit of difficulty getting the toes on his left foot around the thong but he manages without too much trouble.

Outside, Mary and Grace are already frolicking in the shallow water right off the beach. Steve is thrilled to see how well Mary and Grace get along. He’d worried about that a bit considering Mary isn’t really any better with kids than Steve was before he met Grace. Grace is easy to get along with though and is surprisingly easy going considering who her dad is. Danny and easy going definitely don’t go together. Steve thinks that probably helps a lot when it comes to them getting along.

Steve sits in one of the chairs down in the sand. He laughs watching the splash war going on between the girls and snaps a couple pictures with his iPhone. It’s relaxing to sit here on the beach watching his little sister and “niece” play in the water. Steve is glad that Mary has decided to stay in Hawaii; it will be good having her around more.

After about forty five minutes of playing in the water the two girls migrate towards the beach and plop down in the sad near Steve’s feet to build a sandcastle. Steve slides down into the sand to help them build and sculpt the castle that Grace declares is for Dolphin Trainer Annie and GI Joe. After while Mary stands and brushes the sand off before pulling her sundress back on and heading inside to fix something for dinner while Grace and Steve continue to play in the sand.

“Hey Gracie, I think it’s time we go inside ok?” Steve speaks after a while. Grace is in the process of digging a moat for the castle and pauses with her shovel mid air.

“But we aren’t done you, Uncle Steve. And Mary said she would come get us when supper is ready.”

“I know Gracie, but I’m not feeling well and I think I need to go lay down for a little while.” Steve can feel the impending seizure coming, he hopes that he has enough time to get inside and lay down on his bed upstairs before it starts. That way he can shield Grace from it.

Grace doesn’t argue further, just gets up and brushes the sand off while Steve slowly stands from his position in the sand. Steve can already tell that he isn’t going to make it upstairs to his bed, _“Dammit, it’s been 6 days since the last one. I was hoping this medication would be it.”_

Steve heads for the living room as quickly as he can, completely bypassing Mary in the kitchen. “Gracie, go get Mary, tell her I need her help.” Steve’s speech is slower than normal as he tells Grace what to do.

Grace nods wide eyed, she’s figured out by now that Steve is going to seize. She quickly runs into the kitchen, “Uncle Steve needs your help! I think he’s gonna have a seizure.”

Mary drops what she’s doing and follows Grace into the living room where Steve is laying on his side on the couch. He has his eyes closed and is trying to take deep, even breaths but he’s not doing a very good job of it.

“Hey, you’re ok Steve. I’m right here and I’m not leaving you. Just breathe. In and out, just like that.” Mary says soothingly as she stands next to her big brother on the couch. It’s only another minute or two before Steve goes rigid and the seizure starts. Mary continues to stand next to the couch with a gentle hand on Steve’s shoulder and another on his side, making sure he doesn’t fall off the couch and hurt himself. The couch isn’t very wide and it could be detrimental to Steve’s healing injuries if he falls off the couch during the seizure.

She glances around for the clock, “It’s been 17 seconds.” Grace says from her spot at the end of the couch. She’s been timing the seizure since it started just like Steve told her to. She’s still wide eyed but she isn’t crying or panicking. Mary is grateful for that. She doesn’t know how she’d deal with her convulsing brother and a panicking eight year old at the same time.

Slowly the convulsions ebb off and Steve is still, breathing raggedly. “How long Gracie?”

“72 seconds.” Grace says, relieved that her favorite uncle is no longer seizing.

“ _Not too long,_ ” Mary thinks to herself, to her knowledge Steve’s shortest seizure was a minute and a half. “ _Maybe to new medication is helping after all._ ”

“Now we just need to wait for Uncle Steve to wake up. Are you doing ok, Gracie?”

“Uh huh, Uncle Steve said sometimes it takes a while for him to wake up after it’s over.”

“That’s right; it could be twenty or thirty minutes before he wakes up again.” Mary silently thanks her big brother for educating Grace on what to do and what happens when he has a seizure.

It only takes ten minutes for Steve to start coming around again. Grace and Mary are side by side sitting on the coffee table next to the couch waiting for him. He’s moving restlessly and his eyes are unfocused.

Grace slides her hand into Steve’s lax one. “Hi Uncle Steve. Can you hear me? It’s ok, the seizures over and you’re doing real good. Can you squeeze my hand?”

Mary looks on with tears in her eyes as Grace talks to Steve and tries to get a response from him. It shocks her to see how grown up Grace can be at times, Mary knows that if she were Grace’s age there is no way that she would be as calm and collected and Grace is right now after seeing someone seize.

Steve must finally squeeze her hand because Grace’s face lights up. “Hi Uncle Steve! Do you need anything before you go to sleep?”

Steve squeezes her hand again, takes a deep breath, and closes his eyes. He manages a whispered “no” but he’s not up to saying anything else. His thoughts are jumbled but he’s aware of his surroundings again. He had really hoped that Grace wouldn’t see him seize but it looks like that happened despite his efforts. Grace and Mary are chattering quietly beside him, he finds it comforting. It doesn’t take long for him to drift off to sleep.

“It looks like he’s asleep again, Gracie. What do you say you come help me with supper?”

Grace looks at Steve with concern, “Will he be ok by himself?”

“Steve’ll be just fine. He’s going to sleep for awhile now so he will feel better when he wakes up.”

Grace looks a little skeptical but relents after deciding that her favorite uncle is comfortable and sound asleep.

Mary is making tacos for supper so she has Grace tear up some lettuce and grate the cheese for toppings.

-H50-

It’s nearly seven when Five-0 decides to call it quits for the day, their case will still be there for them tomorrow and they have exhausted all their leads for today. Danny heads over to Steve’s as soon as they lock up the office.

He enters to find Steve sleeping on the couch and giggling coming from the dining room. As soon as he sees Steve conked out he gets the feeling that Steve had a rough afternoon. He hurries into the dining room where Grace and Mary are giggling and eating tacos.

“Danno!” Grace says when she sees her dad enter.

“Hey Brah.” Mary greets him.

“Hey, Monkey! Hi Mary. How’s it going?” Danny takes a seat next to his daughter at the kitchen table.

“Uncle Steve had a seizure today.” Grace says solemnly.

“It was about an hour ago. It only lasted for a little over a minute.” Mary explains, “Gracie timed it while I kept Steve from falling off the couch.”

“We were building a sandcastle on the beach and Uncle Steve said he wasn’t feeling well and needed to lay down so we came inside and I got Mary and then he started to shake so I looked at the clock and started keeping track of how long. Just like Uncle Steve told me to.” Grace fills her dad in on the events of the afternoon.

“Good job Gracie.” Danny praises his daughter and gives her a kiss on the top of her head.

“Do you want a taco, Danny? There’s plenty left.” Mary stands, clearing her and Graces plates away.

“Sure. We’ll be right back Monkey.” Danny stands and follows Mary into the kitchen.

“How did Grace handle it?” Danny asks when they are in the kitchen and out of earshot. He is worried about his little girl’s reaction to her favorite uncle’s seizure.

“Honestly Danny, she did great. She followed Steve inside came, and got me, and then stood at the end of the couch timing the whole thing. After it stopped, she sat down next to him, grabbed his hand and started talking to him until he finally squeezed her hand. She didn’t panic or cry at all. You have such an amazing daughter, Danny.”

“She’s really special.” He agrees and gives Mary a hug. “Steve sat her down and explained everything to her and what she should do if they are alone when he seizes shortly after he got the diagnosis. He did a great job of it.”

“I can tell.” Mary pulls a plate out of the cupboard and starts warming a tortilla on the stove. Danny grabs a beer from the fridge and proceeds to put together a taco.

“So, this was the first one since he left the hospital wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, his last seizure was six days ago. I was hoping that since he hadn’t had one for almost a week that the medication was working.”

“You said it lasted a little over a minute?”

Mary nods, “Yeah according to Grace it was 72 seconds.”

“Well that is definitely the shortest one he’s had. Hopefully that means that the medication has at least dialed them down a bit. Plus six days is the longest stretch between seizure’s that Steve’s had since this all started.” Danny says as he scoops salsa onto his taco and licks the remnants off his finger and thumb.

“I hope so. Steve won’t handle it well it the meds don’t work.” Mary says sadly.

“I know.” Danny agrees, “But we can’t dwell on that. Steve needs us to be strong for him.”

Mary nods again, “We should get back to the dining room and see what Gracie is up to.”

Danny takes his plate and follows Mary to the dining room. Grace is no longer at the table but a peak around the corner reveals her in the living room sitting on the floor by the coffee table drawing a picture as Steve sleeps on the couch.

Danny decides to let Grace be for the time being and returns to the dining room to eat his super. Danny and Mary sit in silence, lost in their own thoughts while Danny eats.

They move to the living room after Danny is finished eating.

“What are you drawing, Monkey?”

“Me and Uncle Steve surfing. I’m gonna give it to Uncle Steve when he wakes up so he’ll feel better.” Grace explains as she colors the waves.

“I’m sure it will make him feel much better Gracie.” Danny smiles, he’s worried about how Grace is dealing with seeing Steve seize but she seems like she is doing ok for now.

Danny kicks back in the recliner and puts a baseball game on tv with the sound on low so as not to disturb the slumbering man on the couch. Mary pulls the rocking chair from the corner so she can see the game better. Unlike Steve, Mary is a big baseball fan. She used to go to Dodger’s games all the time with her aunt and uncle in LA when she was a teenager. Tonight, the game is the Anaheim Angels vs. the Red Sox.

They watch the game for about an hour until Danny decides it is time for him and Grace to head home so she can get to bed on time since she has school tomorrow.

“Hey Gracie, it’s almost time to go back to your mom’s so you need to clean up and then we can get out of Mary’s hair for a while.”

“But Danno, I want to wait until Uncle Steve wakes up.”

“Grace, Remember how Steve said he gets really tired after seizures?” Grace nods yes. "Well he needs a lot of sleep to recover from it so it will probably be really late tonight when he wakes up.”

“But I want to see Uncle Steve when he wakes up.” Grace whines; it is unusual for her to whine but it happens sometimes.

“I know Grace but you have school tomorrow and your mom is going to have a fit if I don’t get you home soon.”

“I’ll have Steve call you after you get out of school tomorrow. How’s that sound Grace?” Mary tries to compromise.

Grace sighs and starts picking up her markers, “I guess that will work.”

“Good girl, Monkey.”

“Will you give Uncle Steve my drawing please?” Grace asks Mary. Said drawing is lying in the coffee table.

“Of course Grace. And I’ll make sure Steve calls you after school tomorrow.”

Grace nods and picks up her back pack. Danny ushers her to the front door. “Go get in the car Grace, I need to talk to Mary for a minute.”

“I’ll come back as soon as I drop Grace off.” Danny says as soon as Grace is out of earshot. “Steve is going to freak out about Grace seeing him seize as soon as he wakes up.”

“Yeah, you’re right about that. Thanks Danny.”

“I’ll be back in a bit.”

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of people asked for Steve to have a seizure when it was just him and Grace but I was having trouble with it so this is what I came up with. I hope you all liked this one. The next chapter will show more of Grace's reactions and feelings as her and Danny talk about it, I know she seems a little too ok right now. You'll also see how Steve feels about it. On another note, only 4 more days until Season 3!


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Danny watches Grace as he drives toward Rachel’s house. She is abnormally quiet and looks worried.

“You did really well today, Gracie.” Danny tells his daughter. “I know Uncle Steve will be really proud of you when he wakes up.”

“Are you sure?” Grace asks quietly.

“Of course I am. You did exactly what Steve taught you to and you helped Mary a lot by timing the seizure.”

“Do you think Uncle Steve will be mad because I was scared? I know he said he didn’t want me to be scared but I was really scared.” He lower lip is trembling and Danny can tell she is about to start crying.

He pulls the Camaro over on the side of the road so he can give her his full attention. Danny unbuckles his seat belt and leans over to pull Grace into a hug. “He won’t be mad, Gracie. It’s ok to be scared when something like that happens. Uncle Steve just didn’t want you to be afraid to be with him.”

Grace sniffles and shakes her head, “I’m not afraid to be with Uncle Steve. It was just scary.”

“I know, Baby. It scares me too.”

Grace looks up at her father, “It does?”

“Yeah and it scares Mary, and Chin and Kono. It scares Uncle Steve too. But you know what?” Grace shakes her head. “No matter how scary it is you just have to remember that it won’t last long and that Uncle Steve will be ok after he sleeps for a while.”

Grace nods, she is still worried about Steve but she feels a little better after talking to her Danno. “Is Uncle Steve’s medicine going to work soon, Danno?”

“I hope so Grace. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer and our Super SEAL will be back to his annoying normal self.”

Grace giggles, “Uncle Steve isn’t annoying Danno.”

“No? What is he then?”

“He’s the best uncle ever.” She says so matter of fact. 

Grace isn’t as down as she was but it’s obvious she is still worried and Danny can’t blame her for that. He pulls the Camaro back onto the road and resumes the drive to Rachel’s. It won’t take more than ten minutes to get Grace home but she is going to be late. Danny hopes that Rachel isn’t too upset.

Ten minutes later the gate opens just as Danny turns into the entrance. Rachel is outside waiting for them. Danny gets out and helps Grace out, handing her the backpack. He kneels down to give her a hug and a kiss. 

“Alright Monkey, go inside and take your shower and get ready for bed ok? I’m going to talk to your mom for a few minutes.”

Grace give’s her dad another hug, “I love you Danno.”

“Love you more.” Danny says, kissing her cheek and standing up. 

Grace does as she was instructed, pausing briefly for a “Hi Mommy!” and a hug before continuing inside.

“Hey Rachel,” Danny says hesitantly. 

“You’re late Daniel.” Rachel says, closing the distance between her and her ex husband. 

“I know, I’m sorry. Look Rachel, Grace hung out with Steve and Mary for a while after school, I got called in on a case and you were in that meeting. Steve had a seizure and Grace saw it.”

Rachel brings her hand up to cover her mouth, “Oh no! Did Grace handle it ok? Is Steve ok?”

“Grace did great. Mary was with her and she did everything Steve told her to. Mary said she stayed calm and she sat down and talked to Steve until he woke up afterward. She’s so amazing Rachel.”

Rachel has to smile, despite all her and Danny’s differences the one thing they managed to do right was raise their daughter. 

“Anyway, Steve is fine; he was still sleeping when we left. Grace didn’t want to leave until he woke up though, it scared her to see Steve like that but we talked on the way over here and I think she feels better now. She’s still worried about him since he didn’t wake up before we left. Mary promised that Steve would call her tomorrow after school.”

“Danny, why don’t you pick Grace up after school tomorrow so she can see Steve for herself? You can have her for a couple hours and bring her back after supper.” Rachel knows how much Grace loves Steve and how close the two have become. She genuinely likes Commander McGarrett and hopes that he recovers fully from this. 

Danny is a bit shocked, “Thank you Rachel. Grace is really worried and hopefully seeing Steve tomorrow will make her feel better. I know it will make Steve feel better too. He’s going to freak out when he wakes up and realizes Grace was with him.”

“How’s Steve handling things?” Rachel asks voice full of concern. 

“He’s trying to keep it together. This was his first seizure in six days, it was also the shortest so hopefully that is a sign the medication is working.” Danny rubs a hand over his face, “Look Rachel, I should get going. I promised Mary I would come back to talk to Steve when he wakes up.”

“Of course, Daniel; if there is anything I can do to help let me know.”

Danny nods, “Thank you, Rachel, for everything. I’ll pick Grace up after school and drop her off again after supper.” He turns toward the Camaro and waves good bye as he opens the door and gets in.

-H50-

Steve is still sleeping on the couch when Danny returns and Mary is reading a book in the recliner. 

“Hey. He hasn’t woken up yet?” Danny asks upon entering the living room and seeing Steve in the same position on the couch with an afghan draped over him. 

“No, he hasn’t even stirred. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer. It’s been three hours already.” 

“Rachel is letting me pick Grace up after school tomorrow so she can see Steve.”

“Really? How much did you have to beg to make that happen?” Mary knows all about Danny’s custody trouble with Rachel.

Danny sinks into the rocking chair, “I actually didn’t. She offered. Rachel has met Steve a couple times and he managed to charm her, plus Grace is still worried about him so she figured it would make them both feel better.”

“Steve can charm almost anyone.” Mary says, “He’s always been able to do that, even when he was a kid.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Danny laughs. He can just imagine a little Stevie charming the babysitter into letting him stay up late.

“You want a beer?” Mary asks, closing her book.

“Sure.”

Mary heads for the kitchen and returns a few minutes later with two beers. She hands one to Danny, keeping the other for herself. Mary flips the tv on, keeping the volume on low and flips through the channels. She finally settles on a channel that is showing The Godfather. 

It’s another hour before Steve starts to wake up. Mary is dozing lightly in the recliner and Danny is lost in thought while staring at the tv. 

Steve wakes slowly, floating in and out for awhile before coming fully awake. He’s still tired and recognizes the unique tiredness and achiness that follows a seizure right away. He takes in his surroundings before opening his eyes; he’s still lying on the couch on his right side and can hear the low drone of the tv in the background. Steve finally drags his eyes open, he can see Mary asleep in the recliner and Danny staring at the tv but he can tell that Danny isn’t actually watching tv. After a moment or two of just laying there, Steve stretches his stiff muscles and sits up. 

The movement gets Danny’s attention. “Hey! You’re awake. How are you feeling?”

“Ugh.” is all Steve can say as he scrubs a hand over his face. His head is pounding with the change in position and the room is spinning. “Oh God. Gracie! Is she ok? Did I scare her away? Where is she?” it all comes out in a rush after Steve realizes that Grace was with him during the seizure.”

“Hey, Steve, calm down.” Danny soothes, he has moved from the chair over to the couch so he is sitting beside Steve, rubbing his back. “Grace is fine, she’s sleeping right now. It’s late and I had to take her back to Rachel’s. You’ve been sleeping for four and a half hours.”

“I didn’t scare her too bad did I?” Steve asks worriedly. 

“No, Steve she did great. She stayed calm and did everything you told her to.” Mary jumps in; she woke up when Danny first started talking but stayed silent until now. “She did such a great job Steve. You did a really good job explaining everything to her.”

“She wasn’t scared?”

“More worried than scared, I think.” Danny says, “Especially since you didn’t wake up before I had to take her back to Rachel. We talked on the way over and seeing you seize did scare her but she handled it really well and she feels better now that we talked about it.”

“God, I was hoping she wouldn’t have to deal with this. I wanted to get to my room but I could tell I didn’t have time.” 

“Hey, this isn’t something you can control Steve. It isn’t your fault so don’t go guilt tripping yourself. This is something that Grace needs to know about and understand, and it was better for her to see it today since Mary was with the two of you instead of on your own.”

“I didn’t scare her away?”

“No, she was very insistent that you call her as soon as she is out of school tomorrow but Rachel is letting me get her after school for a few hours tomorrow afternoon. She’s really worried about you and she can’t wait to see you again.”

Steve is sitting forward awkwardly with his elbows on his knees and face buried in his hands. “I hate this; I really thought I wouldn’t have any more seizures after the last one in the hospital. Six days seizure free, I thought the medication was working.”

“I know Steve but you have to realize that six days is the longest you’ve had between seizures. It was also the shortest one you’ve had. I think it’s working, Steve. Dr. Freeman may have to adjust the dose again but I think it will work. Just give it time.”

Steve just grunts. He doesn’t want to get his hopes up on the medication working. It will just make it that much worse when they decide medication won’t help. 

“Steve, I know this seizure was disappointing but you can’t give up yet. I know they’ll find a medication that works for you. You just need to give it time and don’t give up hope.” Mary says.

“I don’t know, Mary. The more seizures I have the less likely it is that the meds will work. I’m just so frustrated with it right now.”

“I know it’s frustrating, Steve but you can’t give up yet. And no matter what happens we are always going to be here for you.”

“Thanks Mary.” Steve says. He stands and gives her a hug before excusing himself to the bathroom.

“He’s struggling with this.” Mary says after the bathroom door closes.

“His whole life has been turned upside down. I’d be more concerned if he were being stoic about it. At least he is acknowledging it and not ignoring it.”

“That’s true. But epilepsy is hard to ignore. I’m just afraid of what he might do if the meds don’t work after all. His state of mind isn’t exactly good right now.”

“It won’t come to that, Mary. Steve isn’t one to choose the easy way out like that.”

“I hope you are right.” Mary says, “I’m going to heat something up for him to eat. He’s due for his next dose soon and if he takes it on an empty stomach he gets sick sometimes.”

Mary busies herself in the kitchen, heating up leftover chicken noodle soup. Steve picks at the soup; his appetite tends to disappear after a seizure so he eats just enough to ward off the nausea from his medication. 

Steve still feels exhausted and his head is pounding in tune with his heart, he’s dizzy and his muscles ache. As soon as he takes his medication he heads upstairs to get ready for bed. It is slow going for Steve on the stairs; he has a hard time picking his left foot up all the way in order to clear the stair so he has to take them one at a time. Steve’s leg muscles are burning by the time he is at the top. Normally stairs aren’t that much of a challenge for him but he’s weaker after a seizure. He heads straight for his bedroom to change clothes. He pulls on a pair of sleep pants and sheds his t-shirt before lying down on the bed. 

Despite how exhausted he is, he can’t seem to fall asleep. He tosses and turns for a while until he decides to get up and head down stairs for a drink of water and maybe a snack since his stomach is no longer churning. 

Steve cracks the door open to check if Mary and Danny are still awake. He doesn’t know why but does not want either of them to know he is awake right now. He is a grown man but feels a bit like a teenager sneaking out of the house at night after his parents went to bed. Steve quietly makes his way downstairs; he stops in the kitchen for a glass of water and a banana before heading out to sit on the lanai. 

The fresh air helps to clear his head but it has cooled down a lot from how warm it was this afternoon. Steve shivers in the gentle breeze and wishes he would have put a shirt on before leaving his room. Despite the cold, he sits out there for nearly half an hour until he can’t stand the shivering and goose bumps any longer.

He makes his way back up to his room as quietly as he can with a bum leg and a cane. He doesn’t want to wake up Mary or Danny, who Steve is sure is sleeping in his childhood bedroom. Even after the fresh air and snack he can’t fall back to sleep. Steve sits on the edge of the bed thinking about what his future holds.

He can’t help but feel so defeated by the epilepsy, especially after the seizure today. The fact that it had been so long between seizures just makes the fact that he had another one worse and harder to deal with. Steve was starting to believe that there may be an end in sight with this, that he could be back at work in full capacity in six to seven more months. Steve thinks this is what he gets for letting his guard down and getting his hopes up. Life has never seemed to work out the way he wanted it to in the past so why should now be any different? 

Steve doesn’t know what he will do if the meds don’t work. He can’t imagine living the rest of his life like this, unable to work, drive, surf, do most of the things he loves. It doesn’t look like he will have a choice though. Technically he does have a choice but the alternative choice isn’t very appealing. Steve eyes the gun safe sitting on the floor of his closet. 

He could easily put an end to the epilepsy with the pull of the trigger but he doesn’t think he’ll be able to do that. He’s had friends who have committed suicide and it is something that Steve has never really understood. He hasn’t been able to come up with a scenario where taking his own life would be the better alternative to living because no matter how rough things get, they always seem to get better if you fight on. PTE isn’t something that will get better though. Suicide isn’t something that Steve has ever contemplated before and he pushes the thought away quickly, disgusted with himself for even thinking about it right now, there is still a chance, however small, that the meds will work; and until he hears the words that there aren’t any more options suicide isn’t an option. 

He feels selfish and sick for even thinking about it. He has never understood why people decide the best thing to do is take their own life. He thinks it is a selfish thing to do, to take yourself away from your loved ones and friends like that. Even if the epilepsy can’t be controlled, Steve doesn’t think he would be able to go through with it. He can’t do that to Mary or Danny or Grace. It would kill them if Steve went through with it, which is why Steve needs to bury these thoughts immediately. 

Steve stands and busies himself with some of his stretches and exercises in the hopes of clearing his head and wearing himself out enough to be able to finally sleep. He feels so exhausted right now but sleep just won’t come. He has too many thoughts buzzing around inside his head that he can’t relax enough to sleep. Hopefully the exercises will clear his mind enough to allow for sleep. 

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23 

 

Steve struggles through physical therapy the next day. He didn’t get much sleep the night before so he’s even more tired than usual and it makes physical therapy even more challenging because he just doesn’t have the energy for it today. Stacy lets him go early so at the moment he is waiting upstairs in the waiting room of Dr. Tyson’s office. He hopes he won’t have to wait too much longer but he is half an hour early so he may be waiting a while. 

He absent mindedly flips through an old Time Magazine that on the side table next to the armchair he is occupying. He is greatly disturbed by his thoughts last night; he hopes Dr. Tyson will be able to help him with it. Steve feels physically ill when he thinks about how he was considering suicide as an option last night. 

Fifteen minutes later, he sees the patient before him leave Dr. Tyson’s office. Less than five minutes later Dr. Tyson comes out and calls Steve into the office. Steve tosses the magazine back on the side table and follows Dr. Tyson into his office. 

“How are things going, Steve?” Dr. Tyson asks Steve as Steve sits in the cushy armchair and Dr. Tyson sits in the chair across from him. 

“Not too good.” Steve says as he picks at a loose thread on his shorts. “I had another seizure last night.”

“Was this the first one since you got home?”

“Yeah, the first one in six days. Gracie was with me. Danny had a case and her mom was in a meeting so she was staying with Mary and me until Danny got off work. We were outside on the beach; I was helping her build a sandcastle when the aura started. I hoped I would be able to get to my room so Gracie wouldn’t see but I only had time to get to the couch. She saw the whole thing.”

“How did she handle it?” 

“I was still out when Danny had to take her home so I haven’t talked to her but Mary and Danny said she did really well. She got Mary and then she timed it for her. I don’t remember this but after the seizure was over Grace sat down and talked to me until I woke up. Danny said it scared her but she didn’t want to go home until I woke up.”

“That’s understandable that she didn’t want to leave you. It is scary to watch a person have a seizure, even if you aren’t eight years old. From what you said it sounds like Grace handled it well considering how young she is. You two are close right?”

“Yeah, she calls me Uncle Steve.”

“It’s a natural reaction for Grace to be worried or scared after seeing someone she cares about have a seizure but it sounds like she handled it well. It also sounds like you did a good job of explaining it all to her a few weeks ago. I wouldn’t be too worried about her, Steve. Kids bounce back fast and after what you have told me about her, I don’t think you need to worry about her not wanting to be around you.” 

Steve sighs, “I know, I just wish she didn’t have to see it. She’s too young and innocent to have to deal with this.”

“I know, but there is nothing you can do about it except reassure her that you are ok and answer any questions she has as well as you can.”

Dr. Tyson lets Steve ponder that for a moment before moving on. “What else is bothering you, Steve?”

Steve sighs, he doesn’t really want to talk about everything else but he knows it is going to eat him up inside if he doesn’t say something about his thoughts, “I can’t help but thinking that the medication won’t work. I was starting to think that maybe I wouldn’t have any more seizures. Last night after I went to bed I couldn’t fall asleep. I kept thinking about how the meds won’t work and how I won’t be able to go back to Five-0.” Steve takes a deep breath, unable to continue. 

Dr. Tyson is pretty sure he knows where Steve is going with this. It’s concerning but it is also a common reaction to something like this. He decides to wait for Steve to say something before he broaches the subject. 

Steve takes another deep breath, “I was sitting on the side of my bed, the closet door was open and I was staring at my gun safe. I kept thinking about how easy it would be to put an end to the epilepsy with the pull of the trigger.” Steve finally gets it out and saying it aloud makes him feel sick. He wants these thoughts to go away but they won’t. 

“Is that what you want, Steve?” Dr. Tyson asks.

“No.” Steve says forcefully. “I don’t want to kill myself. I just want to go back to my life the way it was. I know that might not be possible and it pisses me off.” 

“That’s understandable. Can you tell me the reason’s you don’t want to commit suicide, Steve?”

“Mostly because of Mary, Danny, and Grace. It would kill them if I did. Mary and I are just starting to get close again and Danny is my best friend. Grace would be heartbroken. No matter how much it sucks for me, I could never put them through that. It’s selfish and they still need me. Mary, Danny, and my team have done so much for me, not only in the last month but in the last year. I haven’t really had a family since I was 16 and my mom was killed. They gave me that when I came back.”

Dr. Tyson nods, glad that his patient has such a strong support system. “I’m glad you realize how much it would affect your friends. It’s also good that you have such a strong support system. Don’t push them away, Steve.”

“I don’t think Danny would let me push him away if I tried.” Steve says with a small grin. 

“Good. Are there any other reasons or just your friends?”

Steve sighs again, “I know that the longer I go having uncontrolled seizures the less likely it is that there is a medication that will control them but until Dr. Freeman tells me there aren’t any more options for controlling the seizures I don’t have a choice but to keep up with the meds and work on my rehab.”

“And if you find out they can’t be controlled?” Dr. Tyson prods. 

Steve shrugs slightly, “I don’t know. I’ll figure something out I guess…suicide would be the easy way out but I’ve never taken the easy way on anything before, I’m not going to start now.”

“That’s good to hear Steve. Right now, I don’t think you’re a danger to yourself or others. I’m going to prescribe an antidepressant for you though. I know you have been fighting taking one, but I think you will really benefit from it and it probably won’t be for the long term that you have to take it.”

Steve sighs yet again but relents. “Ok. I just want those thoughts to stop. I don’t want them in my mind anymore.”

“I know, Steve. The antidepressant will help with that but it won’t make them go away completely. What I want you to do when those thoughts pop up is think about what you have to live for. Think about spending time with your sister or something special you and Grace do together. Bring up a happy memory or something.”

“Alright, I can do that.”

“Good.” Dr. Tyson finishes scribbling out a prescription and hands it to Steve. “Take this once a day, every day. It may take a couple weeks for you to have the full benefit of the pills but it will help. If need be we can adjust the dose too.”

“Will they make me foggy?” Steve asks, he hates when the medications he has to take fog up his brain and thoughts.

Dr. Tyson shakes his head, “No they won’t fog up your thoughts, you may feel tired or less energetic for a while but it won’t last.”

“I guess I can deal with that.” Steve says, rubbing a hand over his eyes. “Should I start today or wait until tomorrow morning?”

“Take one after you fill the prescription then tomorrow you can start taking them in the morning. That’s all for today Steve, I’ll see you in a couple days. If you need to talk for whatever reason, you have my number. Don’t hesitate to call.”

“Thanks.” Steve says, standing and heading towards the door. He will have Mary stop at the pharmacy for him on their way home. Steve walks down to the main floor of the hospital. Mary is just pulling into a parking space as Steve exits the building.

-H50-

As soon as Steve finishes lunch, Mary makes him go upstairs and lay down. She can see how much of a struggle it is for him to keep his eyes open after rehab this morning. She knows he didn’t sleep well last night. She didn’t either and heard him wander downstairs at one in the morning last night. 

Steve doesn’t put up much of a fight after Mary promises to wake him up before Danny and Grace arrive. At this point sleeping in his bed is more comfortable than on the couch because of his neck. After he woke up from the seizure, Steve doesn’t think that he got more than three or four hours of sleep last night, the anticonvulsant he is taking makes him tired too so a nap is something he definitely needs as much as he hates it. Dr. Freeman assures him though that the side effects from the drugs will go away after taking it for a few weeks.

Mary wakes him up a couple hours later. Danny and Grace should be there in about half an hour so that gives Steve plenty of time to wake up and prepare himself for seeing Grace again. He hopes she isn’t afraid of being with him now. According to Danny that should be the least of his fears but he can’t help but be afraid. 

Steve makes his way downstairs to the kitchen after making a pit stop in the bathroom. He fills a glass of water and takes his next dose of anticonvulsant. He is just walking into the living room when Grace bursts through the front door with Danny in her wake.

“Uncle Steve!” Grace yells and rushes toward him. Steve has just enough time to brace himself for the hug as she throws her arms around him. “I’m so glad you’re ok!”

“Hey Gracie!” Steve says, wrapping his arms around her to return the hug. “I’m ok because of your help yesterday.” He tells her as he pulls away from the hug. 

Grace just gives him a skeptical look. 

“It’s true.” Steve says. “Let’s go sit on the couch.” He takes her hand and leads her over to the couch were she settles in on his lap, this way Steve can look at her without awkwardly twisting his body. 

“I’m really proud of you Gracie. You did a really good job helping me yesterday. You got Mary when I asked you to and then you timed the seizure for her. That helped Mary a lot. And then when you sat down and talked to me after it was over, it really helped make me feel better.” The last part is a small lie because Steve has no recollection of Grace talking to him but he knows it helped even if he doesn’t remember it or he knows that it would have if he were aware of it anyway. 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, really. I know it was scary but you did such a great job. Thank you for helping me.” Steve says sincerely. 

Grace seems to accept what he says. “You’re welcome, Uncle Steve. It was really scary but I tried to be brave.”

“You were so brave Gracie. But it is ok to be scared when I have a seizure. Just remember that when it’s over I’ll be fine again.”

“Does it scare you too, Uncle Steve?”

“Yeah, Gracie, it does. But you know what?” Grace shakes her head, “I know that you and Danno and Mary will take good care of me so it’s less scary.” Steve wraps his arms around her little body in a hug. “It makes me feel a lot better when I know one of you is around.” Steve admits to Grace. He normally wouldn’t be that candid with her but in light of recent events he thinks honesty is the best policy right now. 

“I’m glad we make you feel better Uncle Steve. I hope you get all the way better soon.” 

“Thank you, Gracie. I hope so too. What do you say we go finish that sandcastle? It’s still standing from yesterday.”

Grace nods enthusiastically, “Yeah!”

“Alright, go change out of your uniform into play clothes and we’ll go outside ok?”

Grace nods again and rushes off to change clothes.

“Thank you for bringing her over here again, Danny.” 

“You’re welcome.” Danny knows that Steve is saying thank you for more than just bringing Grace over but he also knows that he doesn’t need t say more.

Grace returns a minute or two later, “Come on Uncle Steve! Let’s go outside.”

“Coming Gracie.” Steve get’s off the couch and follows Grace outside to the beach. Danny was able to take the rest of the afternoon off so he and Mary follow Grace and Steve outside to help with the sandcastle. 

Chin and Kono come over later with steaks to grill for supper. They also have twice baked potatoes and a Caesar salad. Chin had texted Danny to let them know that they were on their way over so he had the grill lit and ready for the steaks as soon as they arrived. It was a relaxing evening for all of them but especially Mary and Steve. The siblings needed that time to be able to sit back and just relax without having to worry about anything. 

Mary is grateful that Steve put together such a great team when he started Five-0. She doesn’t know what either of them would do if they didn’t have these people in their lives, especially right now. She is glad that Steve seems to be relaxing and enjoying himself tonight. She noticed that he’s been stressed and down since the seizure last night. She hopes that the good mood continues although she knows that it probably won’t. She read the papers that the pharmacist put in the bag with Steve’s latest prescription, the depression won’t get better right away. Mary can’t imagine how frustrating and scary all this must be for her big brother. He has always been the strong one in the family. Always trying to do everything he can to help her and other people. She owes him so much for everything he has done for her, bailing her out of jail and getting her into a rehab program, even if it didn’t quite work. She just wishes there’s more she can do for him. 

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Steve get’s the cast on his arm off the next day. It feels great to have the itchy cast off but his wrist is stiff and his forearm muscles have atrophied slightly; his orthopedist assures him that his muscle will return quickly now that his arm is no longer immobile. The orthopedist also takes an x-ray of Steve’s fractured vertebra in his neck. It healing but not very fast, so Steve will have to wear the neck brace for another six to eight weeks. He isn’t very happy with the prospects of another two months in the brace but it is something that he will have to deal with. The orthopedist sends Steve off to physical therapy where Stacy gives him some exercises to help strengthen the muscles again. 

After physical therapy Steve meets with Dr. Freeman for a neuro check. Steve is currently seated on the table in Dr. Freeman’s office. 

“How are things going since you’ve been home, Steve?” Freeman asks as he shines a light in Steve’s eyes, checking the pupil reaction.

“Ok, I guess. I come for rehab every morning then sleep all afternoon.” Steve replies with annoyance. 

“You’re still healing, Steve. I know physically most of your injuries have healed but you suffered a traumatic brain injury, Steve. You are going to need more rest than usual, I know it annoys you that you sleep so much but your brain is still recovering.” He tests the strength in Steve’s arm and leg. Steve’s arm is back to 100 percent finally; his leg still needs some work. He isn’t as reliant on the cane as he was but Stacy won’t clear him to walk without it yet. “Everything is looking good. It shouldn’t be too much longer before your leg is back to normal. How’s your arm feeling?”

Steve rotates his wrist, “Stiff and itchy.” He absently scratches the dry skin on his forearm. His skin is dry and a little scaly looking; there is a thin, pink scar on the inside of his forearm a couples inches below the elbow where they inserted the plate and screws. His orthopedist recommended using aloe vera or coconut oil on it to help the dry skin repair itself. 

“That’s to be expected. I assume Stacy went over some exercises you can do at home for it?”

“Yeah, she showed me several.”

Dr. Freeman nods, satisfied at how these things are going for Steve. “Alright, now to the epilepsy, have you had any seizures since you were released?”

“I had one on Tuesday afternoon. That was the only one though. Mary said it only lasted seventy seconds this time.”

“Only one?” The surprise on Dr. Freeman’s face is evident. 

“Yeah. That’s a good thing right? It means the medication is working?”

The doctor nods, “It’s very encouraging that you have only had one seizure in the last week. I’m going to increase your dose of the anticonvulsant. It’s too soon to tell for sure but I do believe that the anticonvulsant is working to at least reduce the frequency and duration of the seizures.”

“Do you think there is a chance it will stop them completely?” Steve is a bit afraid of the answer but he has to know.

“It is a possibility but it may be a while before we find the right dosage for that. Or we might have to add another drug into the mix. It is a good sign that the latest anticonvulsant has worked so well but there is also the possibility that it won’t get much better than this. You have to keep in mind though that one seizure every week or so is amazing progress considering the frequency of the seizures a couple weeks ago.”

Steve sighs, “I know, I just really hope this will stop them completely, even if I have to take medications for the rest of my life.”

“That’s our goal. We’ll just have to see what happens.”

Steve leaves the hospital feeling marginally better about his life. He realizes that he still has a long road ahead of him but he’s starting to feel like things might be ok. Mary is again waiting for him in the parking lot when Steve leaves the hospital doors. They make a stop at the pharmacy again before making it back to the house.

They eat lunch together before Steve decides it is time for his daily afternoon nap with a sigh of resignation. He wishes that he could forgo the nap but knows how important it is for him to get enough sleep to help reduce the risk for another seizure. 

After he wakes up a couple hours later Steve pads downstairs to find Mary. Mary is nowhere to be found in the house. After checking the whole main floor Steve’s looks out to the lanai where he sees Mary laying on a towel in the sand down by the water. He decides to let her have some time to herself instead of going down to spend time with her. She has done so much for him so he thinks she deserves some time to herself for a while. He’s proud of her for how well she is dealing with everything. She’s grown so much and really cleaned up her life in the last few months. He just hopes that she will stay out of trouble now, especially if she wants to go back to school. 

Steve grabs a glass of water from the kitchen and wanders into the study. He isn’t really sure what to do with himself. He doesn’t feel like watching TV and reading still gives him a headache, especially if its small print. Dr. Freeman assures him that will dissipate over time as his brain continues to heal, but for now he has to deal with it. He wanders out to the living room and switches on the TV. He flips through channels and finally stops on a Pawn Stars marathon on the History channel. He watches half heartedly, his mind wandering to what his future holds. He can feel himself slipping into a depression again as he thinks about the long road of recover still ahead of him. He hopes that as the antidepressants starts working the sudden mood swings will stop. 

Steve’s thoughts are interrupted when Mary comes inside from sunbathing. “Hey big brother. Have a nice nap?”

Steve shrugs slightly, “I guess. Same as always.”

“How are you feeling? You seem kinda down.”

Steve gives her a half hearted smile, “I’m ok, Mare; just thinking about everything that is still ahead.”

“Hey, I know you have a long way to go but you’ve already made so much progress.”

“I know. I just…want to feel normal again.” 

Mary drops down on the couch next to him, “You will Steve. Just give it time.” She says as she squeezes his arm. 

They sit in silence for a while before Mary breaks the silence, “What do you want for supper? I was thinking of ordering takeout. We don’t have much to make a meal out of. I’m going to go shopping tomorrow.”

“Makes no difference to me, order whatever you want.” Steve says closing his eyes; he can feel a headache coming on.

“How does Japanese sound?” Mary is concerned with her brother’s pliant attitude.

“Fine. You can use my credit card to order.”

Mary leaves her brother to brood in silence and goes to the kitchen to order Japanese and make a shopping list for tomorrow. 

-H50-

The next few days pass slowly for Steve; he goes through the motions of rehab every morning and his appointments with Dr. Tyson in the afternoon. He spends more time sleeping now than he did before he started taking the antidepressant. Dr. Tyson tells him that drowsiness is a side effect of the new medication and says that the higher dose of the anticonvulsant also factors in to why he’s been so tired recently. He assures Steve that as his body adjusts to the medications the tiredness will dissipate. 

He has another seizure four days after the last one; it only lasted about a minute and his recovery time was less than four hours. He is getting better but it isn’t happening fast enough for his liking. 

Finally about a week and a half after Steve goes home Stacy decides that he can ditch the cane and walk unaided and a week after that she switches him to three days a week for physical therapy instead of five. He likes that he has to go less often because it means he is making progress but he doesn’t know what to do with himself of the days that he doesn’t have rehab or other appointments with either Dr. Freeman or Dr. Tyson.

Freeman hasn’t cleared him to go back to work yet, even for desk duty. And between Mary and his team there is no way that he is even setting foot in the office before Dr. Freeman gives him the ok to get back to work. But if Steve is honest with himself, he knows he isn’t physically or mentally ready to be back at work yet, even just for desk duty. Reading small print still gives him a headache and looking at a bright computer screen for more than a few minutes doesn’t do his head any favors either. Even just reading and sending text messages on his phone gives him a headache if he does it often enough. Steve hopes it will go away soon, he’s utterly and mind-numbingly bored at home. That being said, if he went back to work right now, he would just be utterly and mind-numbingly bored in his office since he can’t read which means he can’t do paper work. 

Steve is also nervous and afraid to go back to work on some level. He doesn’t want to get back to work and end up having a seizure in the middle of the office in front of the governor or a witness or anyone who isn’t part of his ohana. 

He logically knows that the seizures aren’t something he should be ashamed of but it is still embarrassing for him nonetheless. Especially if he can’t make it to the bathroom before the seizure starts. Sometimes he doesn’t have a problem getting there and then to the couch or bed before it starts but that doesn’t always happen. Those seizures are the worst for him to deal with emotionally when he wakes up. 

He’s been working through all this with Dr. Tyson for the last week but he doesn’t feel as if he has made much progress. It is still hard for him to open up to the therapist. Over the last couple weeks he’s had a couple in-depth conversations with Danny and Mary about his concerns and feelings because he finds it easier to talk to Mary and Danny than Dr. Tyson about some things. 

Steve knows he still has a long road ahead of him but for now he is going to push the worries to the back of his mind and focus on enjoying watching Grace and Mary ride the small waves on his private beach. He is sitting in a comfortable lawn chair on the lanai. The warm sun and salty breeze are doing wonders for his state of mind right now. It doesn’t take long for him to drift off into a light doze. He is exhausted from rehab this morning and then he had his session with Dr. Tyson and after that he and Mary picked up lunch before picking Grace up from school at one. 

It is Danny’s day to have Grace but he has to testify in court today so it will be after five before he is done with work. Grace’s school let out early for teacher in-service so Steve and Mary volunteered to watch her again. 

After a while the two girls return to the lanai to dry off and head inside to fix supper. They decided to let Steve sleep for a little longer since he didn’t so much as twitch when they came up to the lanai. The sun has moved enough that most of the lanai is the in the shade now. 

Mary and Grace pat out hamburger patties and slice some potatoes to throw on the grill as soon as Danny arrives. Grace also puts together a salad and Mary slices some melon and pineapple. Danny arrives at five thirty and promptly heads to the back to start up the grill. Steve finally wakes up when Danny bangs the gas tanks together for the grill when he puts the empty tank aside and hooks up the full one. 

They eat together outside as the sunsets. Danny and Grace head out shortly after supper because Grace has homework and Danny needs to do a load of laundry because he is on his last dress shirt and pair of slacks. Steve heads to bed earlier than normal because he just can’t keep his eyes open. Mary stays up until after midnight watching a CSI marathon. Mary is walking from the bathroom to her bedroom when she hears a noise come from Steve’s room. 

She peaks her head in the door only to realize that she is witnessing her big brother start seizing in his sleep. Mary rushes to the bed. She rolls him on his side in the center of the bed to protect his airway. There isn’t anything else she can do until it stops so she just waits it out. Finally after a minute and a half the convulsions ebb off and Steve is left breathing hard and deeply asleep. 

Mary checks him over and untangles the sheets from around his legs and waist while she waits for him to wake up. He finally wakes up twenty minutes later. 

“Hey bro, can you squeeze my hand Steve?” Mary asks, taking his right hand in hers. 

Steve manages to squeeze her hand after a minute or two. “What..?” He is looking at Mary with confusion clouded eyes. 

“You’re ok, Steve. You had a seizure while you were asleep but you’re ok now. Just go back to sleep.” Mary continues to reassure her brother until he finally drifts off to sleep again. She hopes that he won’t have any more seizures tonight. The one a few minutes ago was the first one he’s suffered in five or six days. Mary figures it was probably brought on by the busy day Steve has had today. She really hopes the anticonvulsant will stop the seizures completely rather than just decrease the frequency and duration of them. 

Once Mary is sure that Steve is sleeping comfortably she quietly makes her way back to her bedroom. She leaves his door cracked slightly just in case he has another one. Mary is glad tomorrow is Saturday; Steve can stay home for the next two days and not have to deal with rehab or stressful therapy appointments. Hopefully it will give him some time to relax and continue to heal. Mary sighs and climbs into bed, she prays that Steve won’t have any more seizures, that the medication is working and that he will get back to normal soon. 

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Steve wakes up the following morning feeling disoriented. He can tell it is still quite earlier since it’s still dark out. He stretches in bed and notices the stiff, sore muscles in his back, arms, and legs. A hazy memory surfaces of Mary telling him he seized in his sleep but he doesn’t remember much else. He rolls over and clumsily gets to his feet; he is feeling a little unsteady and uncoordinated as he stumbles to the bathroom. 

He takes care of business and splashes some cold water on his face in the hopes that it will help clear his fogged brain. On his way back to his room he glances at the alarm clock on his night stand and is surprised to see that it is only a little after five in the morning; normally he’d be getting up for his swim but since it’s Saturday and he doesn’t have to be up for anything and can’t do his normal exercise routine, he decides to go back to sleep. He lies back down on the bed and does his best to get comfortable. It doesn’t take him long to go back to sleep. 

Steve wakes up again a few hours later when he hears Mary fumbling around in the kitchen and smells the coffee brewing. He feels better than he did a few hours ago, less fuzzy but still stiff. He stretches his back and legs before he gets up. It’s painful but feels good at the same time. He gets out of bed and heads for the bathroom to shower. He replaces the pads in the neck brace and then washes the old ones in the sink before laying them out on a towel to dry. He ventures back to his room and pulls on one of his SEAL t-shirts and a pair of khaki cargo shorts before heading downstairs. 

“Morning.” Steve says as he snags a coffee cup from the cupboard and heads straight for the coffee maker. Dr. Freeman finally cleared him to drink coffee but he has to watch his caffeine consumption. Same goes for alcohol consumption; he can drink both in moderation. After taking a few sips of coffee he grabs a clean glass and fills it with water so he can take his medications. 

“Morning, Steve. How are you feeling this morning?” Mary asks as she cuts up a mango. She is still in her pajamas which consist of a green tank top and pink shorts. Both she and Steve slept late this morning compared to usual, it’s after nine already. 

“Alright, I guess, a little sore but otherwise ok. What time did it happen?”

“A little after midnight, I was just getting ready for bed when I heard you. It lasted about a minute and a half. You came around about twenty minutes later.”

“Yeah, I kind of remember you telling me to go back to sleep. What’s on your agenda for the day?”

Mary shrugs, “Not much, grocery shopping then I think I’m going to hit up the library since I finished my book last night. Do you want to come?”

“No thanks, I just downloaded a new audio book; I’ll be good for a while. Do you want some toast?” Steve asks as he puts two slices of bread in the toaster. He’s been listening to a lot of Tom Clancy books and just downloaded The Hunt for Red October; he’s seen the movie but never read the book. Reading isn’t something that he has had a lot of time for in the past, he was so busy with classes when he was at the Academy and then between BUD/S and SEAL training along with missions and Naval Intelligence reading for leisure wasn’t something he did often. Steve is also reluctant to go out in public right now, he doesn’t want to go out and then have a seizure in the middle of the grocery store or the library or something.

“Sure.” Steve adds two more slices and pushes the lever down. “Raspberry or Grape jelly?” Mary asks even though she already knows the answer.

“Raspberry.” Steve answers, ever since he was a little kid and accidently snorted some up his nose when he was laughing at Mary, he has hated grape jelly. Mary thinks his aversion to it is hilarious and likes annoying him with the question every morning.

Steve spreads peanut butter and raspberry jam on his toast before spreading Mary’s with peanut butter and grape jelly. Mary brings the bowl of cut fruit to the table and they eat their breakfast in silence. When they finish, they clear the table and Steve helps her do the dishes and load up the dishwasher. 

After breakfast Steve heads out to the lanai with his iPad while Mary heads for the library and grocery store. He has his earbuds in and is engrossed in The Hunt for Red October so he doesn’t hear Danny enter the house or come out to the lanai to join him an hour later. 

Danny takes a seat in the lawn chair next to Steve and quietly observes the man. Steve has his earbubs in and his eyes closed, to Danny he looks totally relaxed, a look he has hardly seen on Steve since the accident. 

“Hey, Steve.” Danny tries to get his attention. Steve doesn’t appear to hear him so he tries again a little louder. Steve still doesn’t acknowledge his presence and Danny finds it amusing that Steve, who is always aware of his surroundings, is completely oblivious to him right now. He decides that he will let Steve be for now and just relax for a bit. Danny hasn’t had much time to just relax, between Five-0, Steve, Grace, and his lack of sleep lately. 

Danny sits back and studies Steve’s profile. He’s finally managed to put most the weight he lost back on so he is no longer looking so gaunt. He is still on the pale side but his tan is starting to return since he spends most of the afternoons outside on the lanai if he isn’t sacked out on the couch. The pink scars on the left side of his face have faded into a dull pink; they probably won’t even be visible in a few more months. If it weren’t for the neck brace, Steve would look totally healthy and whole. Danny is glad that Steve is looking and doing so much better, now if only the medications would get the PTE under control and everything would be right again. 

Danny watches silently as Steve reaches for the glass of water on the side table and nearly jumps out of his chair when he notices Danny sitting beside him. The plastic cup slips out of his hand and spills all over the table. 

Steve yanks the earbuds out, “What the hell, Danny?”

Danny chuckles in amusement, “I tried to get your attention but you were too absorbed in whatever you’re listening too.”

“You did not.” Steve says petulantly as he hits the pause button on his iPad. He can’t believe he let his guard down enough for Danny to sneak up on him like that. 

“Did too, called your name like four times. What are you listening too anyway?”

“The Hunt for Red October.” 

“Of course.” Danny says like that explains everything. Which considering how much Steve likes guns and blowing things up, Tom Clancy books make sense.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have Grace this weekend?”

“She’s at her friend Laura’s birthday party today. She’s having a birthday luau. I’ll pick Grace up later this afternoon. Thought I’d come bug you for a while. Where’s Mary?” 

“She’s getting groceries and going to the library.” Steve says. They fall into a comfortable silence after that; both getting lost in their own thoughts for a while. 

Steve finally breaks the silence, “I had another seizure last night.”

“How long was it?” Danny questions; studying Steve, he looks a bit tired no worse for wear and he surprisingly doesn’t seem all that upset about it like he usually does. He just keeps staring off at the ocean.

“Minute and a half; happened in my sleep. Mary was getting ready for bed a little after midnight when she heard me.” 

“Has Dr. Freeman said anything about the medication?”

“No, he upped my dose after the first one I had at home but he hasn’t changed it since, says it is still too early to tell if the meds will stop the seizures completely. The one last night was the first in six days. I think it’s helping since they aren’t happening as often and all of them have been less than two minutes but I’m afraid this is as good as it will get.”

“You can’t keep thinking like that Steve. Dr. Freeman said it could take several months to figure out the right medication and dose. It hasn’t even been two months since this all started Steve. Don’t give up yet.”

Steve sighs, “I haven’t Danny; it’s just that the longer it takes to find the rights meds, the harder it gets to keep believing it’ll work.”

“I know Steve, just don’t give up yet. We are all pulling for you and I have a good feeling about this. Give it more time and you’ll see.”

Steve can see the sincerity on Danny’s face so he doesn’t argue about it again. 

-H50-

Steve spends the weekend lazing around the house, listening to his audio book and napping intermittently. By the time he has to go for therapy Monday morning, he is feeling relaxed and energized. Apparently a relaxing weekend around the house is what he needed to get out of the funk he’d fallen into. 

He starts out Monday morning with Stacy for physical therapy for a couple hours. He’s still working on getting the strength back in his leg but the major focus is to get rid of the limp he has. It isn’t a big limp but it is enough that it’s noticeable. Stacy doesn’t think it will take much longer before Steve is back to one hundred percent, maybe a few more weeks. But by the time he is done with therapy for his leg he will be back for some therapy for his neck. After being immobilized for nearly three months he will need some pt to get the strength and range of motion back. 

Dr. Tyson calls Steve into his office as soon as he arrives. Steve sits in his usual arm chair next to the window with Dr. Tyson across from him. 

“How are things going at home Steve?” Dr. Tyson usually starts with a question similar to his every time. 

“Boring.” Steve states flatly. He has had enough of medical leave from work. 

“How so? What have you been doing outside of rehab?”

“Not much. I get home from the hospital; I eat lunch, and then take a nap. When I’m awake I sit out on the lanai or listen to audio books. Reading still gives me a headache and day time TV sucks, not that I am much of a TV watcher anyway. I’m sick of not being able to do anything.”

“Do you and Mary spend time together?”

Steve shrugs slightly, “I’ve been trying to teach her how to play chess, but that isn’t going so well.” Steve smiles thinking about Mary’s names for the various pieces. “We play cards sometimes, mostly when Grace is with us. We usually have meals together, sometimes if I’m awake I’ll help her with it if she doesn’t shoo me away first. We kind of just do our own thing though otherwise.”

“How come? I thought you wanted to get closer to your sister?”

Steve huffs out a laugh, “Believe me Doc, compared to how we used to be, we’re close now. We actually talk. Before this we would speak to each other when we needed something. When Mary came back to the island a few months ago, it was the first time we’d seen each other in probably ten years. I thought the purpose of me seeing you was to help me deal with the epilepsy, not talking about my relationship with my sister?”

“Alright, have you had any recent seizures?” Dr. Tyson asks as he jots down a note on Steve’s chart.

“Friday night I had one in my sleep, Mary heard it when she was getting ready for bed. It was only a minute and a half long. That was the last one I had and the first in five days.”

“It seems like the medication is knocking down the frequency and length. That is encouraging.”

“I guess.” Steve says with no conviction.

“Have you had any more thoughts on ending things, Steve?”

Steve is quiet for a few minutes before answering, “Sometimes, after a seizure I think about it. I don’t want to, but the thoughts come and won’t leave. It isn’t happening as often as it was though. After they start, I do like you said and start thinking about what I have to live for and they go away after a while. ”

“And you’re still taking the antidepressant?” 

“Yeah, I don’t really think about wanting to kill myself, it’s more that the idea is there and won’t leave. If that makes any sense?” Steve is at a loss as to how to explain what is going on in his head right now, he hopes that Dr. Tyson can discern what he is saying. 

Dr. Tyson nods and tries to clarify, “You aren’t thinking about how but the idea is there even if it isn’t something you want to do?” 

“Yeah.” Steve is relieved Dr. Tyson understands.

“I’m glad you are still taking the antidepressant, I can see some improvement in your mood already; but I want you to remember that the thoughts won’t go away right away, Steve. I wouldn’t worry about them too much, I know you feel terrible for having those thoughts to begin with but they are a natural reaction to something like what you are going through. I don’t think you need to worry about them though, it is pretty clear that you aren’t actually suicidal, despite your thoughts on the matter.”

Steve is glad to hear that. The conversation turns to Steve’s coping mechanisms. He has been working on the meditation techniques that Dr. Tyson started him on back in the hospital. He has improved at it but still has a hard time clearing his mind completely; Steve does feel like it helps him a little though. Mostly he thinks that talking with Danny and Mary about everything is what has helped him the most. Dr. Tyson suggests trying a support group or talking with others who have PTE too. He gives Steve a list of online forums that Steve can check out and talk with others on; Steve isn’t so sure about it but is willing to at least browse the websites, even if he doesn’t interact. 

“Have you thought about going back to work, Steve?”

“I don’t know, Dr. Freeman hasn’t cleared me for it and he hasn’t given any indication of when he might.”

“But what about you? Do you feel ready?”

Steve’s quiet, in all honesty he knows he isn’t ready for work, even if it is just desk duty. He just shrugs, not willing to admit that he is afraid of going back.

“I’m sensing that you have some reservations about going back to work.” Steve still doesn’t respond. “You’re afraid of having a seizure in the office.” They are back to playing who can out stubborn who into talking first. 

Steve finally decides that maybe if he cooperates more with Dr. Tyson, he might let him go early; Steve has had enough of this session and wants to go home to take a nap. “The only people who know about the PTE are my team, my sister, and Grace and Rachel. It’s not something I want the whole island to know about, especially a suspect or witness. Not to mention the fact that I still can’t read or work on the computer without feeling like my head is gonna explode or like I’m gonna hurl; so I wouldn’t be able to do anything at work anyway.”

“Do you interview a lot of witnesses at the office?”

“Not really, every now and then they will come with info that they thought of after the initial interview or someone will wander in to make an inquiry but that doesn’t happen very often.”

“What about suspects? Are they in the main part of the office frequently?”

“No, we usually take them straight to the interrogation room.”

“So your fear of having someone outside of your friends see you have a seizure isn’t really something you need to worry about in the office then.”

“I guess not. But I still wouldn’t be able to do anything in the office.”

“Have you talked to Dr. Freeman about the continued problems with reading?”

“Yeah he said it would take a couple more weeks to go away; said a fifty pound boulder to the face will do that to a person.” 

“I think as soon as Dr. Freeman clears you for desk duty you are free to go back to work as soon as you feel ready; having something like that to do will help you get a normal routine going and help you cope with things, even if you just go in for half a day at first.”

“Are we done now?” Steve asks glancing at the clock; he’s had enough of this and needs to get out.

Dr. Tyson can see that he isn’t going to get anything else out of Steve so he nods and tells Steve that he will see him Wednesday at the same time.

-H50-

The rest of the week passes much the same for Steve but he has noticed that he isn’t feeling as tired and worn out as he has been after rehab, he is napping less and has noticed that he can read for an hour or two before he starts to feel sick. He thinks he is finally starting to get better. He has another appointment with Dr. Freeman on Thursday afternoon. Dr. Freeman adds another anticonvulsant medication to the one that Steve is already taking. He is supposed to take it every morning and evening with his other pill and still take the first medication three times a day. 

Dr. Freeman also tells Steve that if things continue to improve he can go back to work soon. Half days at first and after a few weeks he can start working full days on restricted duty. 

For now, Steve continues to go to physical therapy three days a week. Now that Grace is out of school for the summer, she spends the afternoons that Danny is supposed to have her with Steve and Mary. Steve is glad for the distraction when Grace is with them, it gives him something to do other than sleep or listen to his audio books, even if it is just to sit on the beach and watch her play in the water or build sandcastles with her. 

Right now, Steve is sitting at the dining room table with Grace and Mary playing Texas Hold ’em with piles of Tootsie Rolls. Grace is beating both Steve and Mary badly, Mary is down to five Tootsie Rolls and Steve has eight while Grace has the remainder of the two pound bag of candy. 

Danny walks in carrying three boxes of pizza, “Are you cleaning them out, Gracie?” Chin and Kono aren’t far behind him.

“Uh huh, Uncle Steve and Aunt Mary aren’t very good at poker.” She states as she pulls in what is left of the siblings piles of candy. 

“That’s my girl.” Danny says stopping to give her a kiss on the top of her head. He’s had a long day at work and is glad to be done for the weekend. He hopes Five-0 doesn’t get called out on a case.

“I think it’s because you, Miss Gracie, are a card shark, not that Mary and I suck at poker.”

Grace just shrugs and smiles as she unwraps a piece of her winnings. 

“Alright you three put the candy and cards away and come eat supper.” Danny says as he pulls out plates and silverware for the pizza. Since it is Friday night and none of them have to be at work in the morning, they migrate out to the back yard. Grace, Kono, Mary, and Chin all do a little surfing before the sunsets while Danny and Steve watch from the beach. Danny and Steve build a fire in the fire pit on the beach as the wait for the water goers to come in. 

“Danno! Can we make s’mores? Please?” Grace asks as she runs up to her dad and gives him a big wet hug, making sure to drip all over him.

“Some more what, Grace?” Steve asks with a confused expression on his face. He laughs at Graces look of horror when she thinks that her favorite uncle doesn’t know what a s’more is. When she realizes that he was joking she decides he needs a wet hug too and crawls up on his lap to make sure he gets extra wet. “I don’t know if we have any marshmallows or chocolate, Gracie. You’ll have to ask Mary.” Steve says as he tickles her. 

Grace laughs as she tries to escape the tickling. She finally gets away after saying she needs the bathroom between giggles. Grace runs into the house after Mary and returns a few minutes later with all the fixings for s’mores. 

It’s late by the time they have the fire put out and Chin and Kono head out. Grace has been asleep in Steve’s lap for the last hour after she finally crashed from her sugar high caused by too many marshmallows. Danny takes Grace and carries her up to the spare bedroom for the night. Danny has had enough to drink that he doesn’t want to drive home so he and Grace will be crashing at the McGarrett’s tonight. 

Steve takes his nightly dose of medication and falls asleep trying to remember when the last time was that he felt this good and happy. He thinks that maybe things are finally starting to look up for him. 

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Saturday Chin, Kono, Danny and Grace spend the whole afternoon and evening at the McGarrett house. They spend the afternoon in water, surfing and swimming while Steve and Danny sit on the beach “supervising”. They grill hamburgers for supper and after the sun sets they gather inside to watch Captain America. Grace doesn’t last more than ten minutes into the movie before she is sacked out on the couch between Steve and Kono. 

Sunday morning finds Mary and Danny trying to convince a reluctant Steve to go out for lunch with them. 

“Come on Steve, it will be good for you to get out of the house.” Danny says.

“You guys go ahead. I’m not really hungry.”

“Steve, the only time you leave here is when you are at the hospital for rehab. You haven’t been anywhere but the house or the hospital since before the accident. It’ll be good for you.”

“I don’t want to go.” Steve states vehemently. 

“Why not, Steve?” Danny asks.

“Danny, I’m the head of the Governor’s Task Force. What if I have a seizure out in public? It’ll be all over the news and everyone on the island will know about it. I don’t want people outside of our ohana to know about the epilepsy.”

“I get that Steve. But you can’t stay hidden in the house forever. You can’t let the PTE rule your life and keep you from living your life. You have to go out at some point. Besides, all of your seizures since you have been home have been in the late afternoon or evening. If you go out now, you have a smaller chance of having a seizure.”

“How about we go to Rainbow Drive-in, we can go in to order and then eat in the car?” Mary tries to compromise. She thinks that maybe starting small like that will get Steve to agree.

Steve is quiet for awhile. On one level he knows Danny is right about not letting the PTE rule his life but at the same time he doesn’t want to risk having a seizure in public and have the whole island talking about him. Leaving the house is tempting, he is getting tired of being in the house all the time but is nervous to leave. 

“Fine, we go in to order and then eat in the truck.” Steve finally concedes. He then goes upstairs to change clothes; he is still wearing the athletic shorts he slept in and an old t-shirt.

Steve emerges a few minutes later wearing jeans and a navy polo; he figures that he may be a little less recognizable if he wears jeans instead of his typical cargo pants, it is worth a shot anyway just in case. They pile into his truck, Danny drives, Steve sits shot gun, and Grace and Mary are in the back seat. 

They go inside to order and then surprisingly Steve decides they should sit at a picnic table outside. The restaurant is shockingly not busy, there are maybe four or five other people eating there. Steve figures they beat the after church rush since it is only eleven a.m., not to mention that there is a big art festival nearby with lots of local food going on this weekend that always draws a big crowd. 

It doesn’t take long for them to get their food and settle in at a picnic table outside. Grace accidently spills her lemonade so Danny takes her to get a new one. “Can we get shave ice after lunch, Danno?” Grace asks as they walk back to the table. 

“I don’t know, Monkey. You’ll have to ask Uncle Steve if he wants to go.” Danny knows that if Grace asks Steve he won’t be able to say no. He just hopes that it doesn’t backfire. 

It is almost to the end of the meal when Grace finally voices her question, “Can we get shave ice at Kamekona’s, Uncle Steve?” Grace makes sure to use her best puppy dog eyes and look as cute as she possibly can. 

Steve glances at Danny and has a feeling he’s been set up but one glance back at Grace and he knows he can’t deny her request for shave ice. He supposes that he can manage a few minutes at Kamekona’s; getting out of the house for a while feels good despite his initial reservations. He’s still nervous about having a seizure in public but he’s starting to relax ever so slightly. “Sure, Gracie, we can probably get some shave ice as long as it’s ok with Danno.”

The way Danny smiles and agrees that shave ice is a good idea confirms to Steve that he was set up by his partner. It’s not fair to have Grace used against him, Danny knows Steve can’t say no to her. 

They finish up eating at Rainbow and then head over to Kamekona’s for shave ice. 

“Well if it isn’t my favorite haoles.” Kamekona greets them with a big smile. “It’s good to see you up and around, Bruddah!” he says pulling Steve into a big bear hug. Kamekona is glad to see Steve out of the hospital. He visited him in the hospital while Steve was still in a coma and also shortly after he woke up but hasn’t seen him since, until now. Kamekona doesn’t particularly like hospitals and seeing the Big Kahuna laid up in a hospital with such extensive injuries made him sick; Danny kept him updated with Steve’s progress even though Kamekona didn’t visit often, he figured the fewer people Steve had around to see him struggle through everything the better. He knows about the PTE and is hoping the meds will take care of it; a man like McGarrett won’t do well if he can’t do his job in full capacity. 

“Thanks, Brah, it’s good to be up and around.”

“What flavor you want? It’s on da house today.” Steve orders his usual pineapple mango guava shave ice without any ice cream or beans while Grace gets cotton candy with beans, Mary orders rainbow with beans, and Danny gets Cherry with ice cream.

A few minutes later Kamekona brings them their orders only he brings Steve a large cup of pineapple mango guava shave ice with ice cream and adzuki beans. “You look like you could use da calories, Brah. You got too skinny in da hospital; need ta fatten you up.”

Mary and Danny stifle laughs as Steve’s eyes bulge at the amount of shave ice in front of him. Even if he hadn’t just eaten lunch there is no way he could eat all that. He feels a little sick just looking at it. Steve has been better about eating and has gained some of the weight back but still isn’t back to his pre accident weight. “Uhh, thanks Kamekona.” Steve finally manages to say. 

“You eat all that ‘n you’ll be better in no time. Waiola Shave Ice is da cure for whatever ails you.” Kamekona states. “You need anything else just yell. I got you’re back.”

They only stay long enough to finish their shave ice; Danny doesn’t want to push his luck with Steve so they head for the house as soon as they are all done eating. Steve manages to eat about a fourth of the shave ice before calling it quits. When they arrive back at the house, Grace asks to watch a movie, since there is a sudden rain storm. It won’t last long but it will deter them from playing in the surf for the rest of the afternoon. Grace chooses the movie and they end up watching The Incredibles. Steve falls asleep about half way through the movie with Grace curled up at his side. He wakes up an hour later in the same position, Grace is still cuddled up next to him and there is a baseball game playing on tv now. 

Steve thinks back on the afternoon, he is glad Danny and Mary convinced him to go out for lunch. It felt good to get out of the house for a while to do something that didn’t involve going to the hospital for rehab. He thinks Danny had a point about not letting the PTE rule is life or dictate where he goes or what he does outside of his home. He was nervous the entire time about having a seizure but he figures if the PTE is going to be something that can’t be controlled with medication he needs to start getting out more and getting used to the idea that he may end up having a seizure in public. It is going to be difficult and take time but Steve has decided that he is going to try to do more outside of the house. It is something he is going to have to deal with if he wants to get on with his life and try to live as normally as possible. Although, he really hopes he won’t have to; he is still hoping that the new medication Dr. Freeman started him on will be what he needs to stop the seizures. He is startled out of his reverie when Mary speaks. 

“Who wants pizza for supper?”

“Ham and Pineapple?” Steve asks. 

“No. Absolutely no ham and pineapple pizza!” Danny states vehemently. 

“But Danno!” Grace whines.

“Ok, one ham and pineapple and one pepperoni for the Jersey boy.” Mary says. 

“Here, put it on my credit card.” Steve says pulling his wallet out of his pocket and handing Mary his Visa card so she can call for delivery. 

“You missed the end of the movie, Uncle Steve.” Grace tells him. 

“I know Gracie; I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. Maybe next time you come over we can watch the rest of it. How does that sound?” Steve gently tugs one of her pigtails. 

Grace gives him an excited smile and nods, “I’ll make sure I bring it over next time I come.” 

About thirty minutes later the doorbell rings and the pizza arrives. Steve helps Mary get plates and napkins out and set everything out on the dining room table. They fill their plates at the table but sit in the living room to eat so they can watch the rest of the game. Steve is amazed at how much of a baseball fan Danny has turned Grace into. She always wants to watch the Yankees when they are on tv and has even asked Danny to take her to some of the UH home games. 

It is the bottom of the ninth inning when Steve starts to feel the auras. He excuses himself to the bathroom but realizes he won’t make it to the bathroom and back before the seizure starts so he goes into the downstairs guest room to lie down. Neither Danny nor Mary notices the change in Steve. It’s only after Danny realizes that he didn’t hear the bathroom door close that he goes in search of his partner a minute later. 

Danny finds Steve lying on his side on the bed in the guest room trying to breathe through the panic and auras. He crosses the room quickly and starts talking soothingly to Steve. “You’re ok, Steve. I’m right here, just breathe in and out. You’re doing really good.” He can see that Steve’s eyes have lost some of their focus and he isn’t completely with it right now. He is lost in the throes of the auras and panic. This doesn’t happen every time he has a seizure but occasionally it does. None of them have noticed a correlation between the pre-seizure auras like this and the severity of the seizure. Dr. Freeman thinks it has to do with how or what Steve is doing before it starts. 

Danny continues to talk soothingly to Steve until his muscles tense up and the convulsions start a minute later. Danny glances at the bedside clock to note the time. He hates seeing Steve like this; it is so wrong to see his strong partner struggle to breathe as his body convulses. Steve’s arms are curled tight against his chest, fingers and wrists bent into awkward positions. There is blood tinged saliva running out of Steve’s mouth as he struggles to draw in a breath; he must have bitten his tongue at some point. He feels so helpless. There isn’t anything he can do to help Steve until after the seizure stops. Mary is next to him now; she heard the grunts caused by air being forced passed Steve’s vocal cords when the seizure started; since Grace is asleep she decided to help Danny and her brother. 

92 seconds later Steve’s body slowly stills as the seizure comes to a stop. He is breathing hard and fast now that he can finally draw in a breath without a struggle. Mary wipes the bloody saliva away from her brother’s face. He is still deeply unconscious but his breathing is evening out and his lips are less blue looking. 

After it is clear that Steve isn’t going to wake up in the next few minutes, Danny steps out to check on Grace. She is still sleeping peacefully on the couch, unaware of what is going on. Danny then pulls out his phone to text Rachel that he is going to be late dropping Grace off because he doesn’t want to leave Mary and Steve until Steve is with it again. He hopes his ex-wife isn’t too upset with him about getting Grace back so late, since it is summer she doesn’t have to be up early for school so Danny is hopeful that she won’t be too mad. 

Steve finally comes around about half an hour later. Initially he tries to get up to move to his own bedroom upstairs but Mary and Danny are able to convince him to stay downstairs for the night. A couple hours later, Mary has to wake Steve up to take his last dose of medication for the night. Normally Steve stays up late enough to take it before he goes to bed and as a backup he has his watch set to beep every eight hours as a reminder. Mary knows that Steve will be so deeply asleep that he won’t wake up to his watch alarm. 

-H50-

Monday morning sees Steve and Mary resuming their normal weekly routine. Steve wakes up early to get ready for physical therapy and his session with Dr. Tyson. He is confused when he wakes up in the spare bedroom downstairs but quickly remembers having pre-seizure auras the night before. He makes his way to the downstairs bathroom and takes care of business before heading up stairs to shower. He changes his neck brace to the basic EMT brace he uses in the shower before removing the pads, washing them in the sink, and replacing them with the spare set of dry ones. He lays the wet ones out on a towel on the counter top to dry before getting in the shower.

After his shower he puts on his regular neck brace along with a pair of black athletic shorts and a t shirt. Mary is already downstairs making coffee when Steve goes down. She is still in her pajamas which consist of a pair of green shorts and a pink tank top. 

“Good morning Mary.” Steve says as he snags a mug and pours himself a cup of coffee. He takes a few sips before taking his meds and downing a glass of water. 

“Hey, how are you feeling today?” Mary greets him between sips of her own coffee. 

“Not too bad, a little sore and have a slight headache but it’s not that bad. How long?” 

“About a minute and a half; Danny followed you to the guest room. You were pretty out of it before it started.”

“Yeah, I kind of remember that much. Gracie didn’t see did she?” 

“No, she was sleeping on the couch. Danny was about to take her home when you disappeared. Then he didn’t want to leave until after you woke up.”

“Hmm.” Steve says around bites of toast.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about this one Steve. It was short and you had only taken what five doses of the new medication? You know it doesn’t start working right away.” Mary tries to reassure her brother.

It is clear Steve isn’t going to say anything more so Mary simply says, “I’ll go change clothes and then we can leave as soon as you are done eating.”

Fifteen minutes later Mary is backing Steve’s Silverado out of the driveway and heading towards the hospital. She drops him off at the front entrance before heading off to do her own thing. When Steve was first released she would wait for him in the waiting room but he finally convinced her that she didn’t need to stay. 

Physical therapy goes well for him. He is mainly just working on strengthening exercise to get rid of the limp. Stacy thinks he will be done with PT in another week or two so he will have a few weeks off before having to return for therapy on his neck. 

Steve waits in Dr. Tyson’s waiting room for about ten minutes before being called into his office.

“How are you, Steve?” Dr. Tyson greets him. 

“Same as usual, I guess.” Steve replies, taking a seat in the chair next to the window. 

Dr. Tyson nods, “How was your weekend? Did you do anything exciting?”

“Yesterday I went out for lunch and shave ice with my sister, Danny, and Grace.” He supplies.

“That’s the first time you’ve left the house for anything other than rehab.” It’s a statement not a question.

“Yeah, Danny and Mary convinced me to go to Rainbow for lunch. Then Danny blackmailed me into going for shave ice.”

“How so?”

“He had Grace ask me if we could go. He knows I can’t say no to her when she asks something like that. I suspect she asked him initially and he told her to ask me instead.” Steve isn’t upset about it, despite sounding annoyed, he really isn’t. He can’t be annoyed with Gracie. 

Dr. Tyson smiles and nods, “And how did it feel to get out of the house and away hospital.”

“Good.” Steve reluctantly answers. “I was hesitant to go out at first because I was worried about having a seizure in public but it felt good to get out of the house. I was worried about having a seizure the whole time we were out but it didn’t happen.”

“You’ve made a big step forward with that, Steve.”

“It made me realize that I have to go on living my life and can’t let the seizures control it. I haven’t made my peace with the PTE but I’m working on it.”

“I’m really impressed with this Steve. You’ve made a huge amount of progress in the last week.”

Steve shrugs, “It doesn’t seem like much.”

“Believe me Steve, this is a big step you’ve made in getting out of the house, it is ok to take it slow though. If you rush things you will only set yourself back.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“I spoke with Dr. Freeman a few days ago. He thinks you’ll be cleared to go back to work in a couple weeks.” Steve doesn’t say anything about it so Dr. Tyson presses on, “Have you thought about when you are going to return to work?”

Steve just shrugs, it’s a few minutes before he finally replies, “Stacy thinks I will only need another week or two of physical therapy before she releases me from it until I get the neck brace off. I think maybe after I’m done with therapy if I’m cleared then, probably just for half days.”

“You don’t sound too excited about going back to work.”

“I still haven’t decided if I want to continue with Five-0 if I can’t return to field work.” he confesses. 

“Why not? You enjoy working at Five-0 don’t you?”

“Yeah, but it won’t be the same if I can’t do field work. I don’t know, I just think that maybe I will be happier doing something else if I can’t go back in full capacity.”

“Like what?”

Steve shrugs and sighs, “I don’t know.”

“I don’t think you are in the right state of mind to be making decisions like that. You don’t even know if you’ll be stuck on restricted duty yet. I don’t think you can make that decision right now. You need to wait until you know for sure whether or not the meds will work completely before you can make any decisions like that.”

Steve doesn’t respond, he just mulls over what Dr. Tyson said for the last couple minutes of the session. Steve is finally able to leave after what he feels like was four hours rather than just one.

Mary is waiting for him outside in the hospital parking lot when he finally exits the hospital. The drive back to the house is silent. Steve isn’t in the mood to talk and Mary knows her brother well enough to leave him be for a while. Steve and Mary spend the rest of the day after lunch doing their own things, Mary researches possible careers while Steve naps and listens to his audio book. 

Steve is in the living room watching tv as Mary is in the kitchen making supper when he hears a car pull up in the driveway. A minute later there is a knock on the door as it slowly opens. Steve is shocked to see Catherine standing in the doorway. 

TBC


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Steve is shocked to see Catherine standing in the doorway. He can see that she is just as shocked to see him wearing a neck brace. 

“Oh my god! Steve what happened? Are you ok?” Catherine exclaims, dropping her duffle bag by the door as she steps inside. 

“Catherine, what are you doing here?” Steve can’t get past his shock. He knows Catherine isn’t going to react too kindly to being kept in the dark about what has happened. But he really wasn’t expecting her to just show up out of the blue. Last time he got an email from her she was still in Turkey. 

“I wanted to surprise you. I just got orders a few days ago that I’m being reassigned to Pearl. Are you ok?” Cath’s voice in filled with worry and concern. 

“Hey, Steve, supper will be ready in a minute.” Mary walks in from the kitchen. “Oh! Hi Catherine.” She is surprised to see Steve and Cath staring at each other in the living room. She can tell that they are both shocked and surprised to see one another. “I’ll uh, leave you guys to talk.” Mary retreats back to the kitchen. 

Steve finally snaps out of it. “Let’s go talk on the lanai.” He says as he makes his way to the double doors leading to the back yard. Cath silently follows him. Outside, Steve motions for her to take a seat and pulls a wicker chair around so he is seated across from here. 

“What happened Steve?” Cath asks when he finally sits down. 

Steve takes a deep breath and lets it out before speaking. “Alright first of all Catherine, the reason I haven’t told you about what has happened is because it isn’t something that you should have to read about in an email. I know I could have called the ship and talked to you but I didn’t want you to be worried or distracted, especially since you probably wouldn’t have been able to get emergency leave time.”

Cath can see the worry and regret on Steve’s face and can tell that he has really given some thought to whether or not contact her. She is still upset that he hadn’t told her about getting hurt but she knows now is not the time to mention it and start an argument so she nods and encourages him to go on. 

He tells her the story about the hike, finding the body, and the fall. He tells her about the injuries and the eight day coma as well as the right sided weakness from the brain surgery. He tells her about how he still doesn’t remember anything from that day. He tells her everything about his injuries and his rehab all the while avoiding the topic of epilepsy. He knows he can’t hide it from her; that she will find out about it eventually if he doesn’t tell her now. Steve finally pauses in his explanation, trying to work up the courage to tell her. 

“It sounds like you have recovered pretty well so far.” Cath says. She knows there is something else that he isn’t telling her, she can always tell when he is keeping something from her. “What aren’t you telling me, Steve?”

Steve is quiet for another minute before finally confiding in her about the epilepsy. “Cath, the head injury caused some damage to my brain.” He takes another deep breath, “A few days after I woke up from the coma, I started having seizures. I… I have Post Traumatic Epilepsy.”

Catherine gasps, she brings her hand up to cover her mouth. “Oh Steve.” She says grabbing his hand. “Is there anything they can do about it?”

“I’m taking a couple anticonvulsants that we are hoping will stop the seizures but we don’t know yet. I was just started on another one on Friday but it takes a while for it to start working. My last seizure was last night.”

“How often do they happen?” 

“At first it was every couple days, sometimes more often. There was one day where I had, I think, five in less than two days. A few weeks ago my doctor changed my medication and that knocked them down to maybe once or twice a week and they only last a minute or two. At first they would last anywhere from two to five minutes. Last night’s was the first in nine days. We are hoping that the combination of medications will stop them but we won’t know for a while and even then it may take several weeks or months to get the dosages right.”

“And if the anticonvulsants don’t work?”

Steve looks away, “Then I get used to life with epilepsy, I guess. There’s a special high fat low carb diet I can try. Other than that just try to avoid triggers I guess; but if they can’t be controlled completely then I will have to take a desk job and I won’t be able to drive. Cath…I’ve been medically discharged from the Navy.”

“What?!” Catherine is shocked by that confession. She can’t imagine Steve not being in the Navy. He’s been a sailor his entire adult life. 

“Yeah, PTE means I am no longer considered fit for duty, even if the meds do work.”

“Oh Steve. I’m so sorry to hear that. I know how much the Navy meant to you.” Catherine pulls him into a hug. Steve didn’t realize how desperate for her touch he was until she showed up at his door tonight. He hugs her back tightly and whispers ‘thank you’. 

“How much longer do you have to wear the neck brace?” Catherine asks, fingering the brace that keeps Steve’s neck from moving. 

“Probably until the end of June or beginning of July,” Steve explains, it is nearing the end of May and he has four to six weeks left in the neck brace. 

“That seems like a long time for a hairline fracture.” Catherine does the math in her head to figure out how long Steve will have worn the brace by the time he gets it off.

“It started out as a hairline fracture but during one of the seizures I had a few days after I woke up I aggravated my neck and turned the hairline fracture into a complete break. So I have to wear it for longer than originally thought.”

“Are you going to be able to return to Five-0?”

“Dr. Freeman, my neurologist, says I can go back to desk duty soon. If the meds work and I’m seizure free for six months then I will be cleared for full field duty. I haven’t decided yet if I will stay with Five-0 if the meds don’t work. Dr. Tyson says it is too soon to make decisions like that though.”

“Who is Dr. Tyson?”

“My shrink.” Steve’s face reddens a bit as he says it. He is a little embarrassed that he still needs to see the shrink twice a week.

Catherine nods, she can see his embarrassment, “Steve, seeing a shrink to help you deal with all this isn’t something to be embarrassed about. I would be worried about you if you weren’t. It’s normal needing help to deal with something like this.”

Steve knows what she said is true but it doesn’t change the way he feels. “Are you mad I didn’t call you about all this?”

“I’m a little disappointed but I’m more sad than mad. I know you had your reasons for not telling me and I even understand them. But I wish you would have told me. I could have tried to get some leave time. I could have at least been there for you, even if it wasn’t in person.”

Steve can hear the disappointment in her voice but is relieved to hear that she isn’t mad at him even though he knows that it would have been totally justified if she was.

“Have you eaten yet? Mary made beef stir-fry. I’m sure there is enough for another person.”

“That sounds good. How long has Mary been here?” Cath asks as she gets up to follow him inside.

“For a few weeks now, she came right before I got out of the hospital. She’s going to move back to Hawaii and go to school.”

Inside, Mary is sitting at the dining room table eating stir-fry and reading a Cosmo magazine. She looks up when she hears them enter. “Hey, there is plenty of food; you may have to heat it up a little though. It’s still on the stove.”

“Thanks Mary.” 

She watches the couple head to the kitchen. Catherine doesn’t seem too upset that she was kept in the dark but they were out on the lanai talking for a long time. Mary hopes Catherine isn’t mad at her brother. That is the last thing he needs right now. Mary likes Catherine though; she seems like a good fit for her big brother so she hopes that the two of them can work through things. 

The stir-fry is lukewarm so Steve turns on the burner to heat it up some more. Catherine watches as he deftly stirs and turns the meat and vegetables so they all get heated. The fact that Steve is actually skilled in the kitchen surprised her at first. She never would have thought that the man who went to military school at 16, attended Annapolis, and then went in to the SEALs and NI would be a decent cook after eating in mess halls and MREs for over half of his life. Technically he isn’t cooking right now but he still demonstrates skill while reheating the food. After he determines it is hot enough he dishes up two plates and grabs a couple forks from the drawer. 

Catherine follows him to the dining room where Mary is still at the table. She has finished eating but is still reading her magazine. Steve sits down at the end of the table and Cath sits next to him so she is across from Mary. It is a little awkward at first, Steve and Cath concentrate on the food before them as Mary looks through her magazine, occasionally glancing up at the couple, studying them. 

“This is really good, Mary.” Catherine finally breaks the silence. 

“Thanks, it’s our mom’s recipe. So are you here on leave? Steve said you were going to be deployed until July.”

Catherine shakes her head, “No, I’ve be reassigned from the Enterprise to Pearl. The intelligence office at Pearl is expanding so they needed more officers who already have intelligence experience. My CO recommended me for a position, I wasn’t supposed to start until after the deployment but things have progressed more quickly than scheduled so they pulled me from the Enterprise. I have a week of leave before starting my new assignment. Steve said you are moving back to Hawaii to go to school?”

Mary nods, “Yeah, I’m sick of LA and I want to be closer to home. I applied to UH so now I’m just waiting to hear if I got in and get all the details ironed out.”

Steve can’t help but smile with pride at his little sister. Never would he have imagined that Mary would be going to college. After their mom died and their dad sent them away, she stopped caring about school and started hanging out with the wrong people and making bad decisions. He is so proud of her and is thrilled that she is finally being a responsible adult. 

“Wow,” Catherine exclaims, “That’s great Mary. Do you have any idea what you are going to study?” 

“I think social work, or maybe psychology. I haven’t decided yet.”

“That’s really great Mary.” 

“So do you have any plans for your leave?” Steve asks after a lull in the conversation. 

Cath shakes her head, “Not really. Just R and R. Do you have rehab tomorrow?”

“No, I go on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Tomorrow is an off day but Gracie is coming over in the afternoon. Rachel has a meeting and Danny works so she is going to spend the afternoon with us since it is Danny’s day to have her.”

“I take it things are better between them now?” Cath remembers Steve telling her about the bitter feelings between the ex-couple and how Rachel would jerk Danny around regarding custody days.

“Yeah, they are on much better terms now. Rachel has been pretty lenient with the custody arrangement lately and has even let Danny have her on days that aren’t his, like when I got out of the hospital she let him have her for the night so we could celebrate.”

“How long have you been out of the hospital?”Cath asks. 

“Since the beginning of May, not quite a month. Do you want to go sit in the living room? We can watch a movie or something.” Steve suggests. Mary went up to her a room a few minutes ago to give the couple some time together. 

They settle on the couch together to watch True Grit. Catherine is snuggled up against his shoulder and he has her arm wrapped around her. Neither of them pays much attention to the movie. Catherine is lost in thought, contemplating everything Steve has revealed to her tonight; while Steve rehashes the whole conversation in his head, Cath didn’t say much about the epilepsy or his other injuries; he hopes she isn’t lying about not being mad at him. He doesn’t think she is but she has been off since he told her about everything. He thinks maybe she is just overwhelmed by it and needs time to process everything. At least he hopes that is the case. He is somewhat afraid that Cath might leave him after this. But then again he can’t really blame her for not wanting to have a boyfriend who can’t do his job or drive, and who has to live with his little sister because he could die if he has a seizure while he is alone. 

Meanwhile, Catherine is just thinking about how grateful she is that Steve survived the accident and seems to be recovering well. She is concerned about his state of mind though, he doesn’t seem to be coping with the epilepsy very well. She can only imagine how hard it is for him to deal with the fact that he is no longer in the Navy and that he may not be able to fully do his job again. She knows how important serving his country is to him and how proud he is of his service. Catherine can’t believe how much he has come to love his job with Five-0, at first Steve was worried about it since he took the job on a whim in order to catch Victor Hesse but it did not take long for him to realize how much he enjoys being a cop and working with the team he has put together. Catherine knows Steve will be devastated if he can’t return to work and lead the team the way he has been for the last eight months. She keeps repeating a prayer in her head that the medications will work and Steve will be able to continue to lead Five-0. Even if he can’t though, she will be with him to support him every step of the way. She thinks that as long as Steve has people who care about him around him, he will be ok. 

At eleven, both Steve and Cath are startled out of their thoughts when Steve’s watch beeps to remind him to take his next dose of medication. 

“Going somewhere, Sailor?” Cath asks as Steve tries to extract himself from her grasp to get his meds.

“I need to get some water and take my next dose of meds.” He replies as he digs into his pocket for the small camouflage pill tin that Kono gave him for his medications. The tin has a divider down the center so he can put both the medications in the tin rather than carrying his prescription bottles around in his pocket all day. 

Cath hits the pause button on the remote as she watches him retreat to the kitchen for the water; he returns less than a minute later. After they are settled in again, they resume the movie even though that at this point neither of them has a clue as to what is going on in the plot. 

By the end of the movie Steve is sleeping and Catherine has no idea what just happened. She turns off the TV and DVD player before kissing Steve on the lips to wake him up. 

“Hey, Steve, you’re sound asleep. Time for bed.” She prods him until he is awake enough to navigate the stairs.

“You going home?” Steve questions sleepily. 

“Do you want me to?” Cath is unsure whether or not Steve really wants her around right now. 

“Stay.” He mumbles and tugs her hand a little. As long as he has her here he isn’t going to let her go. 

Cath grabs her duffle bag and follows him upstairs.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

 

The next morning finds Steve lying awake in bed long before the sun comes up. He is on his back with Catherine’s head resting on his chest and her arm wrapped around his waist. He woke up about an hour ago and hasn’t been able to go back to sleep, so for now he just lies with his arm around Cath.

He is so happy she is here with him now and feels so relieved that he finally told her about everything that happened. He didn’t realize how much it was tearing him up inside that he was keeping all this from her. 

Steve cards his hand through her hair, he can’t look down to see her face because of the brace but he imagines that she looks calm and peaceful in her sleep. 

“Stop thinking so loud.” Catherine mumbles against his chest.

Steve huffs a laugh, she has always been able to tell when he is laying awake while she sleeps. 

“What’s going on? You ok?” Cath asks as she gets up on her elbow to see his face. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just can’t sleep.” Steve says, folding his pillow in half to support his neck and rolls onto his side to face Cath. He will be so glad to get rid of the brace that makes every movement so awkward. 

Cath traces the lines of his shoulder tattoo, “Nightmare?” 

“No, don’t know what woke me but I just couldn’t fall back to sleep.”

“Roll over; I’ll give you a back rub.” Cath knows one of her back rubs has never failed to get Steve to sleep, whether he is awake after a nightmare or is just to keyed up to sleep.

Steve rolls onto his right side. He snags the spare pillow from the chair next to his bed to support his head and neck so he doesn’t have to keep the one folded over. Cath starts massaging his back and shoulders. His shoulder muscles are especially tight; probably due to the restricted movement the neck brace causes. It doesn’t take more than ten minutes for Cath’s ministrations to take effect and Steve is out like a light. After Cath is sure Steve is sound asleep, she spoons up behind him and drifts off to sleep herself. 

Steve sleeps peacefully until his watch beeps at seven to remind him to take his medications. Cath is still spooned up behind him and he is extremely comfortable but he knows he has to get up to take his medications. After another minute of lying there basking in the comfort of Cath’s arms wrapped around him, he finally gets up. He tries to do so without disturbing Catherine but she is a light sleeper and it doesn’t take much to disturb her. 

“Where are you going?” she mumbles as Steve stands. 

“Just gotta take my medications. Go back to sleep.” Steve pads downstairs to get some water and something to eat before taking the medications. If he takes the anticonvulsants on an empty stomach he will get sick, especially first thing in the morning. He butters a slice of toast and eats it with some milk before swallowing the two anticonvulsant pills and the antidepressant pill. When he is finished he heads back upstairs to bed, making a detour to the bathroom first. 

He has to smile when he sees Catherine curled around his pillow, sound asleep. Since Grace isn’t coming over until after lunch he has plenty of time to get some more sleep so he crawls back into bed next to Catherine. 

-H50-

Typically on Tuesdays, Danny picks Grace up from her mom’s at noon and takes her for lunch, work permitting, before dropping her off at Steve’s house for the afternoon. Mary and Grace go swimming while Steve sits on the lanai and supervises. If it’s raining they stay inside and watch movies on the couch. Today is a beautiful day so they will spend the day outside on the beach. 

Today is no different. Danny drops Grace off a little before one. He is surprised to see Catherine there, as far as he knows Cath isn’t supposed to be back until this fall. Steve had mentioned to Danny how worried he was about telling Cath and how she would react to him keeping her in the dark about everything. Danny sends Steve a questioning look and Steve just grins. “It’s all good Danno.”

Just when Danny is about to say something else he gets a text from Chin stating they have new information on their case and he needs to get back to HQ ASAP. 

“I gotta go, Monkey, be good for Uncle Steve.” He says as he presses a kiss to the top of her head. 

“I will. Love you Danno.” Grace replies, giving him a quick hug. 

“Danno loves you more.” Danny says before he heads out the door. 

“Gracie, this is my friend Catherine. Cath, this is Danny’s daughter Grace.” Steve introduces the girls. 

“Nice to meet you Grace, Steve talks about you all the time.” Cath smiles warmly at the eight year old. 

“Hi.” Grace says, giving a shy wave before innocently asking, “Are you Uncle Steve’s girlfriend?”

“Um, well, uh…” Cath stutters, unsure how to answer. She and Steve haven’t really put a name to their relationship, despite the fact that they have been exclusive for over five years, and prior to Steve’s transfer to the reserves they would always spend their leave time together if they had it at the same time. Now, she still spends all of her leave with him when she has it. Only now, Steve tends to get called away on cases during their time together. She wouldn’t spend her leave anywhere else despite this though. 

“Yeah, Gracie, Catherine’s my girlfriend.” Steve says, putting a hand on the little girls shoulder. “She’s here on leave and she’s going to spend the day with us, is that ok with you?”

It gives Cath butterflies to hear Steve refer to her as his girlfriend. It also thrills her to the core. 

Grace nods, “Can we go swimming?”

“Sure, go up and change into your suit.” 

“So I’m your girlfriend now, huh?” Cath asks when Grace is out of ear shot. 

Steve pulls her in for a hug. “Well, yeah, I mean we’ve been together for over six years now. I-is it ok I told Gracie you’re my girlfriend?” Steve asks uncertainly, his doubts from last night are creeping back into his mind. 

Cath hugs him tightly and smiles up at him, “Of course it’s ok. I like it.” Cath stands on her tip toes to give Steve a kiss. 

“Good. Go get your suit on; Gracie will be back in a minute.” Steve says as he heads for the stairs. He needs to put sunscreen on his face. Normally he doesn’t worry too much about sunscreen if he isn’t going to be in the water or out all day; but if he doesn’t wear it he is going to have some really strange tan lines on his neck and around his jaw from the brace. Cath changes in the bedroom while Steve is in the bathroom carefully applying non-greasy sunscreen to his face. On his way back down stairs he grabs a baseball cap to help protect his face as well. 

Steve watches the three most important women in his life splash around in the surf. He laughs as Catherine and Grace gang up on Mary to dunk her underwater. He wishes he could play in the water with them but until his neck heals and until they get a better handle on the PTE, Dr. Freeman doesn’t want him swimming or doing anything strenuous outside of his therapy just yet. 

He hears his watch beep again and reaches into his pocket for his next dose of meds. He is already tired of taking these medications every eight hours on the dot but if it is what he has to do to control the seizures he will deal with it. He downs the two pills with half a glass of water as he watches the three girls come up to the beach to build a sandcastle. He ambles down to where they are and sits in the sand between Cath and Grace to help build the sandcastle. 

The four of them construct a palace for Dolphin Trainer Annie and GI Joe. Suddenly the screeching of tires followed by a thud and the sound of a car speeding off interrupts the chatter and laughter. 

Steve is up on his feet and making his way to the front of the house as quickly as he can. At first he doesn’t see anyone or anything in the street. Finally his gaze lands on a small figure lying next to the curb by his mailbox. 

Upon closer inspection he sees a small puppy lying there whimpering. Steve kneels down beside the pup who continues to whine and whimper in pain. “Hey Buddy, you’re going to be ok.” He says as he holds his hand out for the dog to sniff, the dog continues to whimper but leans into Steve’s hand after a minute apparently deciding that Steve isn’t a threat. The girls come up behind him and he directs his next command at his sister. “Hey Mary, go get the keys to my truck. We need to take him to the vet.” Mary runs off to the house to grab the keys. 

Steve is pretty sure the puppy has a broken hind leg but as far as other injuries he isn’t sure. There are some cuts but he can’t see any other visible injuries. 

Steve isn’t the most familiar with the different dog breeds but he is pretty sure the puppy is a German Shepherd. He looks similar to some of the German Shepherds used by the SEALs and EOD. The puppy has the typical black and tan German shepherd coloring with tan legs and underbelly, black saddle on the back, and the black mask around his face. 

 

“Is he going to be ok, Uncle Steve?” Grace looks worried, dogs are her favorite animal. She has always wanted one but her mom and Stan won’t let her get one until she is older.

“I don’t know Gracie. He seems pretty hurt. Hopefully the vet can make him better.”

Steve carefully gathers the puppy in his arms, weary that the puppy might bite as Mary backs the truck out of the drive so Steve won’t have to carry the dog up the drive and jostle him more than he has too. Cath opens the back door for him so he can climb into the back seat with the puppy. Cath helps Grace get in on the other side before climbing into the front passenger side. 

Steve strokes the puppy’s head and scratches behind his ears throughout the car ride and it seems to relax the puppy somewhat.

“Are you going to keep him?” Grace asks about halfway there. 

“He probably belongs to someone, Gracie.” In truth, Steve can feel the dog’s ribs and spine through the fur; he probably hasn’t been fed regularly for a while. He guesses that the pup doesn’t weigh much more than 20 pounds and he kind of doubts that the dog has a home. 

Once they arrive at the vet clinic the puppy is taken back for an assessment and after a twenty minute wait, the vet comes out to speak with Steve. 

“So I understand the puppy was a stray that had been hit by a car?” Dr. Adams asks Steve. 

“Yeah, I found him in the street in front of my house. How’s he doing?”

“Well, he has a broken hind leg and some internal bleeding so he will need surgery. Unfortunately he isn’t micro chipped and judging by his health he probably doesn’t have an owner; which means that without an owner we will have to put him down.”

“No! Uncle Steve you can’t let them put the puppy down! You have to help him!”

“Come here, Gracie.” Cath puts her arms around the crying little girl and tries to comfort her. 

Steve and the doctor move away from the girls. “Why do you have to put him down? You can’t just treat him and send him to a shelter?”

Dr. Adams shakes his head. “Normally when a stray is brought in we are required to keep them for a couple days before sending it to a shelter in case the owner is located. Unfortunately with his injuries he won’t last two days and shelters are so underfunded they can’t afford to pay for the treatment. The humane thing to do is to just euthanize him today so he doesn’t have to suffer.”

Steve scratches an itch on his jaw along the neck brace as he thinks for a few seconds. “What if I pay for the surgery and treatment? Will that mean that he can go to a shelter for adoption?”

“If you are willing to pay for it we can treat him but you should know that it will cost around $1000 for the surgery and medications he will need.”

“Gracie will hate me if I don’t help him.”

Dr. Adams smiles, “Her heart is in the right place. Kids get attached to animals quickly, especially puppies. Thank you. Not everyone would do this.”

“Well it is hard to say no to an eight year old with puppy dog eyes.” Steve chuckles.

“I know the feeling. Tara will help you get the billing straightened out.” He nods to the receptionist at the front of the room. “If you have any questions feel free to call. I need to go help this puppy.” Dr. Adams shakes Steve’s hand and retreats to the back of the clinic.

Steve exchanges his information with Tara and soon they are on their way home. 

“So does this mean you are going to keep him, since he doesn’t have an owner?” Grace asks innocently, her tears dried as soon as Steve told her he made sure they wouldn’t put the puppy down. 

“I don’t think so Gracie. Puppies are a lot of work and I don’t know anything about taking care of one. I’m sure the shelter will find him a good home.”

“But Uncles Steve, a puppy will keep you company and be your friend and love you no matter what and they make people happy. You seem sad a lot and I think a puppy would help you be happy.”

Cath and Mary can see where Grace is going with this. They both think that maybe she is right about a dog helping Steve. Cath has noticed that he hasn’t been himself and according to Mary he has been down ever since he left the hospital despite the antidepressants. 

“You know Steve, I remember you telling me that you always wanted a dog when you were a kid.” Cath says. 

“Yeah, you begged mom and dad for a dog until you were ten. I remember dad telling me that when I was first brought home from the hospital you begged mom and dad for a month to take me back and get a dog instead.” Mary smirks. 

Steve laughs, “Yeah well you wouldn’t stop crying, can you blame me?” he remembers Mary being a really fussy baby with colic and even at 4 years old he was a light sleeper. Mary’s crying woke him up almost every night until she was 6 months old. 

“You should think about adopting him.” Cath reaches forward to squeeze his shoulder. 

“We’ll see.” Steve says. He isn’t sure about adopting the puppy. He really doesn’t know anything about dogs. Sure he always wanted one when he was a kid but he grew out of it by the time he was in middle school and started playing football and got involved in all the other school activities he didn’t have time to think about getting a dog. Besides if he goes back to work full time he probably won’t have time to take of a dog like it deserves. It wouldn’t be fair to either of them. On the other hand having a dog around might be nice if he isn’t able to go back to Five-0 in full capacity. He knows Mary, Cath, and Grace are going to do their best to talk him into adopting the puppy. 

-H50-

Two days later Steve gets a call from Tara at the vet clinic letting him know the final cost of the vet bills and that the puppy is healing well and will be moved to a shelter in another day or two. 

Mary decides to go back to LA for a few days to pack up her apartment and take care of everything she needed to before moving back to Oahu permanently since Cath is there she can stay with Steve for a few days. Not to mention Mary wants to give the couple some alone time. After Steve and Cath drop Mary off at the airport Steve decides he wants to stop by the clinic to see how the puppy is doing. 

Mary, Catherine, and Grace have all been bugging him incessantly for the past two days about adopting the puppy. Even Danny started trying to convince Steve to adopt the puppy after Grace told him all about how her Uncle Steve rescued the injured pup. 

Steve keeps telling himself, and everyone else, that he isn’t going to take in the puppy but little does he know his resolve will melt as soon as he sees the recovering puppy. 

Steve and Cath walk in to the clinic hand in hand. Dr. Adams is in the waiting room returning one of his patients to the owner. As soon as he is done he walks over to Steve and Catherine.

“Steve, Catherine. What can I do for you today?” he greets them.

“We just wanted to stop in and check on the puppy I brought in the other day, if that’s ok.” Steve says. 

“Sure, I’ll take you back; the girls have him out right now.” Dr. Adams says and motions for the couple to follow him. 

“Tara called earlier and said he was doing well.” Steve states.

“Yeah, he is doing great for what he went through. He had some internal bleeding which was easily repaired but aside from the broken leg he didn’t have any other injuries. He is definitely starting to feel better; he’s been eating really well and has been up exploring today, although it took a while to get him to come out of his kennel and he was rather hesitant at first.” Dr. Adams pushes open the door leading to the back of the clinic where they keep the animals that need to stay. 

Upon entering Steve and Cath see the puppy hobbling around with a blue cast on his left hind leg sniffing various objects around the clinic. He looks up when the door clicks closed and sees Steve. The puppy hobbles over the couple wagging his tail. Steve crouches down and the dog greets him excitedly. His tail is going about a mile a minute and he can barely hold still as Steve pets him and scratches behind his ears.

“I think he remembers you.” Dr. Adams says. Cath pulls out her phone to snap a picture of Steve and the puppy, intending to use it as blackmail later to convince him to adopt the pup. 

Steve stands a few minutes later after the muscles in his legs start to burn. The puppy promptly sits on his foot and stares up at him adoringly, tongue flopping to the side as he pants happily. 

“Looks like he has claimed you as his,” Cath comments, “He knows you are the one who saved him.” She bends over to give the pup more attention. Steve watches as the puppy flops over to let Cath rub his belly, she does so carefully to avoid the healing incision on his lower belly. 

It is then that Steve makes the decision to adopt the puppy. After seeing how happy the pup was to see him he just can’t let him go to a shelter. He is sure that they would find a good home for the pup but he can’t bear the thought of letting the puppy go. 

“Is it safe to assume that you have changed your mind about adopting him?” Dr. Adams comes up behind Steve, startling him a bit. 

Steve turns to face the doctor, “Yeah, he kind of has a way of worming his way into your heart. You don’t think he has an owner?” Steve wants to be sure that puppy doesn’t have a home before he commits to adopting him. 

“Puppies are like that. I doubt it, he was dirty and malnourished when he came in, he is small for his age not to mention underweight, and it doesn’t appear that he has had any training or socialization. He is rather shy around our staff and other animals but warms up after a few hours. He isn’t micro chipped and we posted on a lost and found webpage the day you brought him in and haven’t had any responses to it. I say if you want him he is yours.”

“Ok, so what happens next?”

“Well he needs to be vaccinated. I want to give him another couple days to heal before we start with the vaccinations and deworming.”

“Deworming?” Steve asks. 

“It’s a standard precaution with puppies and strays. Puppies, even ones who are raised in clean environments, are prone to worms so we give them all deworming medication. We’ll give the first series of vaccines in two days and if he tolerates them well you can take him home later that day. Since he just had surgery I want to keep him for a couple hours after the first series just to make sure he doesn’t have any reactions to them.”

“How old do you think he is?” 

“I’d guess 10 or 11 weeks, he is small for his age but that is probably due to the malnourishment. He might catch up now that he is being fed regularly but he might also be smaller than average as an adult.”

Steve continues to go over everything he needs to know about adopting the puppy with Dr. Adams while Cath plays with the puppy nearby. 

Fifteen minutes later Steve and Cath are leaving the vet clinic. Cath pulls out of the parking lot and heads in the opposite direction of Steve’s house.

“Where are we going?” Steve asks curiously. 

“The pet store. You are going to need some things before you bring him home.” Cath explains, she always had a dog when she was a kid so she has an idea of everything Steve will need for the puppy. 

They arrive at Petco a few minutes later. Cath grabs a cart and they peruse the isles together to get everything Steve needs for the puppy. They start with dog food which is rather simple since Dr. Adams told Steve what kind to buy to meet the puppy’s needs. Cath grabs the 50 pound bag of food and places it on the rack under the cart since Steve isn’t supposed to lift anything more than 25 pounds.

Next they move onto the collars and leash isle. Steve is overwhelmed by the number of options there are. While Steve decides on a collar, Cath goes to the next isle over to get a dog brush to help control shedding. Steve finally chooses an adjustable camouflage collar, he knows he will probably have to buy a bigger one in the future when the dog is full grown but this will work for now. He also gets a blue leash. 

They spend over an hour at Petco getting everything they need. Steve walks out of the store after spending nearly $300 on pet supplies. He never realized how many things are needed to take care of a dog and he has a feeling that he will be back for more things after he brings the puppy home. 

On their way home from Petco they stop and pick up Chinese takeout for supper and get a movie from Redbox. 

Later that night Steve and Cath are cuddled together on the couch after watching Iron Man 2. “You know, today is the longest I have been outside the house for anything other than rehab since I fell.” Steve starts talking as Cath cards her fingers through his hair. “Last time was when Danny, Grace, and Mary conned me into going to Rainbow for lunch and to Kamekona’s for shave ice. I was freaking out the whole time we were out. I was afraid of having a seizure in public. Today, I hardly thought about it at all.”

“I think you were a little distracted today, it’s good a thing though, you need things to take your mind off the PTE every now and then. You’re making progress, Steve.” Cath leans in for a kiss. “You did a good thing by adopting that puppy.”

“You think so? I don’t know anything about dogs.” Steve is starting to question his decision now. 

“I know so. You saved his life and you’re going to give him a great home. Judging from his reaction to you today, he knows that. Besides, I think having a puppy around will be good for you. He’ll take your mind off things and keep you occupied until you’re back at work.”

“If I can go back to work.” Steve says bitterly. He doesn’t think the meds are working and he really doesn’t believe that he will be able to go back to Five-0 in full capacity.

“You will. I have a good feeling about it.” Cath reassures him.

“Dr. Freeman says I can go back to desk duty part time in a couple weeks. I’m not getting headaches as often as I used to and reading doesn’t bother me much anymore either unless the print is really small. What do I do with him while I’m at work?”

“You could take him with you to the office. Or put him in the carrier while you are gone until he is house broken, besides, Mary will be here she can let him out and play with him.”

“I guess.” Steve still isn’t sure about his decision, despite Cath’s reassurances. 

“I think you need another distraction.” Cath says grins as she leans in for a kiss. The couple engages in a playful make out session. It is a bit awkward since Steve can’t move his neck but it does its intended job of taking his mind off things.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So 4thofFive and Alisa had the suggestion of Steve getting a service dog to help him with his seizures. I like the idea but admittedly, I do not know much about seizure dogs or how they are trained and what the process of getting one is so I do not feel confident in writing in a certified seizure dog. I also have a clear idea of where this story is going and how it will end so I don't want to change the course of the story too much at this point. I liked the idea of Steve getting a dog though so I came up with this idea instead. Even though this puppy isn't a trained service dog, he will definitely help Steve in a big way. Pets can provide the best therapy out there sometimes. 
> 
> Thank you, 4thofFive and Alisa for giving me this idea. I hope you like what I came up with.
> 
> Does anyone have any suggestions for names? I am thinking maybe Axel or Tank, the name Diesel has also crossed my mind but I can't decide and I am open to your ideas and suggestions. :)


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

On Friday Catherine drives Steve to rehab where after his session Stacy releases him from physical therapy until his neck is healed. When he gets out of the brace he will have to go through several more weeks of physical therapy to strengthen the muscles in his neck and regain range of motion after being immobilized for so long. He is finally limp free and his leg strength is pretty much back to one hundred percent. Sometimes after a long day when he is really tired he will have a slight limp but Stacy assures him that is normal and nothing to worry about. It will get better and go away completely with time.

Steve is supposed to meet with Dr. Tyson after his PT session but Dr. Tyson's receptionist called while Steve was on his way to the hospital canceling the appointment because Dr. Tyson had a family emergency.

He has an appointment next Wednesday with Dr. Freeman so he will probably be cleared for desk duty that day. Steve still isn't sure about going back to work. He is feeling a lot better now but still has reservation about going back to Five-0. He thinks that if he is cleared, which he is pretty positive he will be, that he will wait until the following Monday to go back.

After Steve is done with rehab, Catherine picks him up at 11 and they go out for lunch before going to the market to get some groceries. Once they are back at the house, Catherine decides to go surfing for a while so Steve sits out on the lanai reading. Cath was hesitant to go surfing since Steve can't but he encouraged her to go anyway. He knows she is similar to him in that she can't be inactive for too long without going stir crazy so he doesn't mind that she is surfing without him. Besides, she is on leave and after she starts her new position on Tuesday she won't have time to surf as much.

Steve sits out on the lanai reading the book he bought about dog training. Since deciding to adopt the puppy he has spent a lot of time doing research on German Shepherds and learning the best ways to train dogs since he doesn't know anything about it.

Steve is interrupted by his phone pinging, indicating a new text message. It's from Gracie, ever since he told Danny he was going to keep the puppy, she has been texting him name suggestions. Some are better than others but most of the names she suggests aren't in his tastes. There is no way he is naming his dog Fluffy, Snickers, or Bubbles. Her latest suggestion is Spike. Not a terrible name but not really his style either. One name he likes that came from Grace is Chance but he hasn't decided on a name yet, he has been mulling over a few though. He will wait until he brings the pup home before naming him.

He types a quick message back to Grace saying he will consider the name before glancing out a Cath, who is just cresting a wave. The beach behind his house isn't ideal for surfing but the waves are big enough today so Cath is happy.

He watches her in the water and sends up a prayer that someday soon he will be able to go surfing again. He misses the water more than anything right now. Swimming has always been a great stress reliever for him, ever since he was a kid. Whenever he was upset about something he would always go for a swim or go surfing and it never failed to calm him down or relieve the stress. Not being able to do that now has proved to be a challenge for him. As much as he hates to admit it, his sessions with Dr. Tyson have really helped. Talking with Dr. Tyson lets him get his frustrations out that he can't share with Danny or Mary.

He can't tell either of them that he'd contemplated suicide. It would crush them. Not to mention he doesn't want to be treated with kid gloves by Mary or his team. Of course they already are treating him differently, whether they realize it or not. Whenever his team is around they always avoid talking about work and Five-0 around him; like they don't want to bring up a sore subject for him. Whenever one of them incidentally mentions something about work someone else always changes the subject as fast as they can. It drives him crazy and it pisses him off a little. Just because he has reservations about going back to work and the fact that he might be able to be in the field again doesn't mean he can't handle his team talking about work. He actually likes it because it makes everything feel normal, even if it is just for a few minutes.

The sidelong glances of pity and uncertainty don't escape his attention either whenever the PTE is mentioned or when they start talking about something that Steve can no longer partake in, like surfing or swimming. He is pretty sure none of them realize they are even doing it but it still gets on his nerves.

That is the good thing about having Cath around. She doesn't pity him or feel sorry for him that his life may never be normal again. Sure she is sad for him but she doesn't treat him any differently. Speaking of Cath, she is coming up the beach. She props her board up against the house before coming over to where Steve is sitting with her towel on the chair next to him.

"How's the book?" She asks as she dries off.

"It's kind of boring actually. Gracie sent me another text a few minutes ago. This time she suggested Spike."

Cath laughs as she sits in the chair next to him and steals a drink from his glass of water. "Well it is better than Mowgli. Or Flounder." Grace had also suggested the names of pretty much every male Disney character out there. He didn't get what Cath thought was so funny about that list of names until she explained to him who each character was, even going so far as to show him pictures of each character on her iPhone. After hearing her explanations and seeing the pictures he decided he definitely isn't going with a Disney name.

"True, but he doesn't look like a Spike. How was your surf?"

"Great. It felt so good to surf again after being cooped up on a ship in the middle of the ocean for the last six months. It is so frustrating to be surrounded by water on a ship but the only way you can get in the water is by taking a three minute shower."

Steve laughs, he knows the feeling. He always hated when his unit would have to transport on a ship since they were so confined and all their training had to be done in a gym. He would much rather spend several long hours cooped up on a cargo plane than several days to weeks on a ship.

After another hour of sitting on the lanai Steve and Cath head inside. Cath goes upstairs to shower while Steve starts washing and cutting up vegetables for supper. As soon as Cath is out of the shower and downstairs again, she kicks Steve out of the kitchen so she can finish cooking. She had promised to make him her pasta primavera. It is one of Steve's favorite dishes.

They eat in companionable silence on the lanai as the sun sets. This is the first time they have actually made it to dinner in a long time. The last time Cath was in Hawaii on leave they ended up having burnt steaks because they got distracted while Steve was grilling on the beach. It is because of Steve's injuries that they actually get to have a nice romantic dinner on the beach tonight.

After the sun goes down Steve helps Cath clear the table and clean up the kitchen before they retreat to the living room to watch The Notebook; Catherine's choice, not Steve's. Steve is asleep halfway through the movie. He didn't nap this afternoon so he is more tired than normal for this time of night. Cath decides to let him sleep instead of waking him to give him crap about falling asleep during what he would term "a boring movie" like she normally would.

When it is over she gently wakes him and they make their way upstairs for the night. Steve takes a detour to the kitchen to take his medication and grab a glass of water before going up. He also double checks all the doors to make sure everything is locked up and the alarm is set.

It doesn't take long for him to fall into an exhausted sleep. He is excited that tomorrow he will bring his new pet home.

-H50-

The next day Steve and Catherine walk into the vet clinic just before noon. Steve is holding the new collar and leash he bought for the pup. Tara takes them back to where Dr. Adams is visiting with an older Hawaiian woman with the puppy sitting on a metal table between them. The dog is happily soaking up the attention he is getting from the women.

Steve has a sinking feeling that this woman is the puppy's owner. He really hopes its not though, he has really been looking forward to having a dog.

"Oh, here he is now." Dr. Adams says when he looks over to see Steve and Cath coming towards them. As soon as the puppy sees Steve he completely forgets the woman and turns all his attention toward Steve. He is standing on the edge of the table and his tail is wagging like crazy and he is whining in excitement, he can't hold still but can't get any closer either until Steve is next to the table.

"Hey Buddy." Steve greets the little puppy and starts petting him. "What's going on?" Steve redirects his attention from the puppy to the two adults on either side of him.

"Steve, this is Kekipi Keawe. She saw the ad for the lost puppy and came in today to see if it belonged to her neighbor. She doesn't live far from you."

Steve feels a little better knowing this woman doesn't own the pup. He hopes she doesn't intend to take him away though. He shakes her hand, "Steve McGarrett. You said you think the dog was your neighbors?"

The woman nods, "My neighbor Nathan had just got a German Shepherd puppy two days before he was killed in a car accident a week and a half ago. I saw the dog once after Nathan got him. I was on the Big Island when the accident happened. Nate didn't have any family; he grew up in foster care. I was the closest thing he had to family since he moved in next door five years ago, he was like a son to me. He was so excited to get the puppy. He needed a companion at home. Someone to love and take care of after his last dog died a few months ago." Kekipi tells Steve and Cath as she wipes a tear from her eye.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Ma'am." Steve says gently.

"Thank you. Anyway, when I got back from the Big Island and found out Nate was gone, I went over to his house to check on this little guy. He wasn't in the house and he wasn't in the back laundry room where Nate kept him when he wasn't home. The back gate was open so I assumed animal control had come to take him to a shelter for adoption because Nate never left the gate unlatched. Then this morning I saw the post with his picture online and decided to come see if he was Nate's pup. He must have went out the doggie door and wandered over to your street."

"I found him on Tuesday by my driveway. He'd just been hit by a car so we brought him here. We couldn't find an owner since he wasn't micro chipped and because of his injuries he was going to be put down. My eight year old niece had a fit about that so I paid for his surgery in the hopes that he would be returned to his owner or he would go to a good family."

Kekipi nods, "Thank you for that. I know Nathan would have been very grateful to you. Dr. Adams said you were planning on adopting him?"

"I was, but I understand if you would like to keep him since you were so close with Nathan." Steve says.

Kekipi runs her hand down the puppy's soft back and scratches behind his ears. She shakes her head, "I think you should have him. He is very clearly attached to you and it looks like it goes both ways. Besides, I'm not home enough for a dog, let alone a puppy, I go to the Big Island a couple times a month to visit my daughter and grandkids. Nate would want him to go to a good home, I can't give him that."

"Thank you."

"I'm sure I can find his pedigree and the other papers from the breeder if you would like to have them. Nate got him from a breeder in Maui the day he turned eight weeks old so he just turned 10 weeks yesterday."

"Those would be helpful. Does he have a name?"

"I know Nate was leaning towards Bo but I don't know if he had finally settled on a name or not."

"Bo huh?" Steve says looking down at the puppy. The pup barks almost as if confirming his name.

"I think he likes it." Cath says, patting Bo's head.

"If you give me your address I can drop off the papers for you later today or tomorrow." Kekipi digs through her purse for a piece of paper and a pen. Steve scribbles down his address and phone number and hands it back to her, telling her he will be home all weekend so there's no rush. "I should get going. Thank you again for taking good care of Nate's puppy. It is good to know he is going to a good home."

Steve shakes her hand, "You're welcome."

After Kekipi was gone, Steve let out a relieved sigh, he's really glad Kekipi didn't want to keep Bo.

"For awhile there, I thought for sure she was going to take Bo home with her." Cath says squeezing Steve's hand.

"Me too. I'm glad she didn't."

"Well, if you are ready to take Bo home, we can go over a few things and you can be on your way." Dr. Adams goes over all the aftercare instructions for Bo and his healing injuries and his vaccine schedule. Steve will have to bring Bo in on Thursday to have his stitches removed and the cast on his leg changed since he is a growing puppy. Steve is also given instructions to keep Bo from running too much and from jumping. After another five or ten minutes Steve fastens the collar around Bo's neck and picks him up to head home.

Bo sits on Steve's lap during the ride home with his front paws on the window, happily panting and looking out the window. Once home Steve lets Bo out in the yard so he can use the bathroom before going inside. Dr. Adams had told them that after the first two days at the clinic Bo wasn't having any more accidents in the crate as long as he was let out every couple hours during the day. Steve hopes house training him isn't too difficult.

Once inside, Steve unhooks the leash and gently removes it from Bo's mouth and untangles him so Bo can explore his new home and get used to his surroundings. He doesn't stray far from Steve, just sniffs at the couch and the potted plant in the corner as he hobbles around.

Cath sits on the floor by some of the toys they bought. She squeaks the green rubber dog bone. "Come here, Bo!" she calls and squeaks the toy again to get his attention. Bo does his goofy hobble run to Cath and excitedly latches onto the toy with his teeth. He plays with the squeaky bone for a few seconds until he discovers the rest of the stash of toys for him.

Steve and Cath laugh as he tries each new toy out for a few seconds, every now and then going back to one of the previous toys. He finally goes back to the green squeaky bone and tosses it and shakes it about with his head.

"Bo, come." Steve says and whistles to get his attention. After patting his thigh and calling Bo excitedly the small pup goes running over to him. "Good boy Bo!" Steve praises him and rubs his floppy ears. Bo flops over on his side for a belly rub. When Bo gets bored from the belly rub he starts playfully nipping at Steve's fingers, trying to catch them as Steve teases him. He grabs the rope tug and begins teasing Bo with that instead. Bo latches on and wiggles into a standing position, still refusing to give up the toy.

They play tug for a bit until Bo gets bored with it, which really doesn't take long, Steve is learning that puppies have attention spans about the length of a toddler's. Bo is starting to get a little braver and wander farther away from Steve, investigating his new home. Steve and Cath follow him into the den where he finds his food and water dishes next to the lanai doors. He sniffs at them, takes a drink of water and paws at the empty food dish, like he knows there should be some kibble in there for him even though he was just fed a little over an hour ago.

The rest of the day passes slowly, after playing for a little while and exploring his new home, Bo conks out in the middle of the living room floor for a couple hours. They spend some time in the back yard, mostly playing and lounging in the grass.

Tomorrow, Steve will start working on training him. Bo sort of knows some of the basic things like sit and come already from his time at the vet but he isn't very consistent yet. Today is just so Bo can get used to his new home.

The weekend passes faster than anyone would like. Monday is Memorial Day so the Five-0 team comes over for a barbeque. The guys take turns manning the grill with the steaks, potatoes, and vegetables while Mary makes a salad and Catherine bakes a pineapple upside down cake, special for Danny.

Today is Cath's last day of leave; tomorrow she will start her new position at Pearl. But the good thing about her new job is that she pretty much will have regular 8-5 hours. The night shifts and odd hours will mostly go to the new recruits and less experienced officers. Occasionally there will be days when her hours are a little more abnormal but she will have every weekend off unless something big is happening. Her new job may not be as exciting as her job on the Enterprise but she can't deny the benefits of it.

Currently, all six of them are sitting on the lanai enjoy their steaks while Bo hobbles around sniffing the ground, looking for any possible food droppings. Bo finally settles in a spot between Steve and Danny when, after a while, nobody drops anything for him. He watches curiously as Danny's shoe laces move in the breeze before he pounces on them and starts attacking them, it only takes a couple seconds for him to completely untie the knots.

"Hey!" Danny calls out, raising his foot a little; it only spurs Bo to attack the shoes laces even more.

Steve leans forward so he can see what Bo is up to. He grins, "See Danno, even Bo doesn't think you should be wearing tennis shoes to a barbeque on the beach." The topic of Danny's footwear had come up earlier when he'd been the only not wearing slippers and had to stop to empty the sand out of his shoes after he and Chin brought a couple chairs up from the beach.

"Yeah, yeah." Danny says with a dismissive wave at Steve. He bends down to pick up the little puppy. Danny holds Bo at eye level, "You, are going to be a menace just like your daddy over there." He tells the puppy.

Bo sticks his neck out and licks Danny's face. "Yeah, but you love him anyway." Steve says, pulling a chew stick out of one of the pockets on his cargo shorts for Bo to chew on. Danny sets him back on the ground.

"Bo, sit." Steve commands, holding the chew stick above Bo's head. Bo does as he's told, "Good boy, Bo!" Steve praises and gives him the chew stick. Bo runs off to the cool grass to chew on his new prize.

Steve leans back in his chair, content to think that maybe his luck has turned around. Things have certainly been better for him in the last week with the arrival of Catherine and his adoption of Bo. His friends can see the change in Steve too in the last week. All of them have noticed that he has been happier than he has been since before the accident and has smiled more in the last week than he has in a long time.

TBC


	30. Chapter 30

Tuesday, both Steve and Catherine are up early, Steve is up to take Bo outside and give him breakfast while Cath is up getting ready for her first day in her new position at Pearl Harbor. Steve is finding that having a puppy in the house is cutting into his sleep schedule; he has to get up every night about two am to take Bo outside and Bo starts barking and whining to go out again every morning between 5:30 and 6:30. For now, Bo is sleeping in crate at night until he is completely house broken. 

Steve is a little bummed that Catherine’s leave is over already. Having her home with him all day for the last week has been a nice distraction from everything that has happened. After eating breakfast together, Steve made omelettes for the two of them, Steve kisses Cath goodbye and tells her to have a good day. He is left alone with Bo since Mary is still asleep upstairs. Steve takes Bo out to the backyard for a training session. He spends about ten minutes every couple hours working with Bo on the basic commands like sit, come, and down. Bo is picking up everything really quickly and is always excited to learn something as long as there are treats for him. 

It is close to nine when Steve gets a call from Kekipi asking if it would be alright if she drops Bo’s papers off today, she had some trouble locating them over the weekend but finally found the folder with all his information last night. 

An hour later Kekipi rings the doorbell. “Thanks for bringing these by.” Steve says. Kekipi is knelt down petting Bo who followed Steve to the door. 

“It’s no problem. I’m sorry it took me so long to find them, Nate wasn’t very organized. It is going to be a nightmare going through everything since I’m his Power of Attorney. I’m so glad to see Bo is in a good home and not in a shelter somewhere. He seems very happy here.” Kekipi comments as she stands. 

“I’m happy to have him. I can’t thank you enough for letting me keep him.”

“You’re very welcome, dear. I also have the food, bed, and toys that Nate had for him. They are all brand new but I figured since you have Bo now you should have his things.”

“Are you sure? You don’t want to return them?” 

“They certainly aren’t going to get used by me.” Kekipi says with a smile. “As Bo’s new owner you are entitled to them.”

“If you insist. Can I at least pay you for them?”

Kekipi shakes her head, “You giving Bo a good home is payment enough. Although I wouldn’t be opposed to you stopping by every so often when you are walking him if you happen to pass my house since I’m only two streets over.”

“I’m sure we can manage that as soon as his leg is healed up.” Steve grins.

Kekipi shakes his hand, “It’s a deal then.”

“I’ll grab my sister from the backyard to help unload your car. I can’t lift anything heavy so I need her to get the bag of dog food.” Steve motions uncomfortably towards the neck brace.

“No need to disturb your sister. I can bring it in for you if you grab the dog bed and toys. I put it in the car myself, I can certainly get it out; I’m not that old yet that I can’t lift a bag of dog food.” She laughs before getting more sincere, “I hope you are recovering well from whatever ails you.”

“Thank you, I should be out of the brace in a few more weeks.” Steve is uncomfortable talking about his injuries with someone he doesn’t even know. Steve waits patiently as Kekipi pops her trunk and comes around to help him take things inside. Bo followed him outside and is now sniffing the hedges in front of the house. He is trying to pull a small branch off the bottom of one but it isn’t going anywhere. “Bo, No.” Steve commands in a stern voice. He has to repeat it a couple times before Bo stops pulling at the branch. But eventually he does stop and goes back to exploring the yard. 

After Kekipi leaves, Steve picks Bo up and heads back inside. He plays with him on the living room floor for a while until Bo gets tired out and retreats to his crate for a nap. Steve leaves the crate door open during the day so Bo can go in there if he wants to. He padded the bottom of it with a few old towels and blankets so Bo has a nice comfortable place to sleep. Bo seems to like being in his crate for naps though, Steve thinks maybe it is because he was crated at the vet clinic whenever he wasn’t out playing with the technicians so he is used to being in it and feels safe there. He doesn’t cry too much when he closes the door at night either, a few cries when Steve walks upstairs but it only lasts five or ten minutes and he is quiet until he needs to go outside again. 

Steve does some of the exercises he would do in physical therapy to pass the time. He is glad that he no longer has to go to rehab three days a week but he also isn’t sure what to do with the extra time he has now and feels lazy now that he isn’t going to rehab every other day and getting the exercise from it. He still isn’t allowed to do anything strenuous or lift anything that weighs more than twenty pounds because of his healing vertebra. The day he gets the neck brace off can’t come soon enough for him. 

Steve spends the rest of the day watching Grace play with Bo in the backyard. He has to remind Grace a few times to settle down with Bo because of his healing leg and sutures. Dr. Adams assured Steve that a little bit of running is fine because Bo still needs exercise but it needs to be restricted so he doesn’t do any damage to the healing hind leg. As long as his leg heals properly, Bo won’t have any long term problems with it. 

Danny picks Grace up a few minutes before Catherine gets home. Right now, things are pretty slow for Five-0 so he was able to leave work early to spend time with his daughter. Cath picked up Japanese food for supper on her way home from base for her and Steve since Mary is meeting an old friend for supper. After they eat they spend some time in the backyard playing with Bo again. Cath watches as Steve patiently works with him on sit, stay, come, and lie down. 

She takes some pictures of them with her phone. Although she may be the one with experience when it comes to having a dog, Steve is no doubt doing a great job with the puppy. She is really happy he decided to keep Bo and that Kekipi didn’t take him away. Bo gives Steve something to do during the day and keeps him occupied. She has noticed an improvement in his mood since Bo came home Saturday. 

It is obvious after about ten minutes of training Bo starts to lose focus and get bored with it so Steve stops to play with him using the rope tug. Bo has the knotted end in his mouth and is pulling and shaking his head with all his might trying to get it out of Steve’s grasp. 

Steve gives him a chew bone to enjoy and gets up to sit with Cath on the lanai. Bo follows him and lies by his feet as he chews. 

“It looks like he’s getting the basic commands down really well.” Cath comments as she takes Steve’s hand in her own.

“Yeah he’s been catching on quick. He’s a smart little guy.”

They sit there holding hands and talking for a while longer until Bo starts whining. Steve figures maybe it is because he has finished the chew stick already and he just wants some attention. Steve leans over to pet him; he picks Bo up and settles him in the space between him and Cath on the porch swing. Bo is more than happy to get attention from his two humans. They sit there for a while longer; Bo lets out a whine every now and then but is otherwise content to lie between his people.

“Shit.” Steve suddenly swears and starts to get up.

“What’s wrong?” Cath asks in concern. She sets Bo on the ground and stands. 

“Having an aura.” Steve starts making his way inside, he is already losing coordination. He makes it to the living room and realizes he doesn’t have time go any further so he just lies down on the floor in the open area between his recliner and the stairs. Cath is right behind him and is kneeling next to him only seconds later. Bo is whining and looking distressed, he is standing by Steve’s head and licks his face, trying to make Steve feel better.

Steve’s eyes roll back right before he starts to seize. Cath gently picks Bo up to make sure he doesn’t get hit by a flailing limb. This is the first time either of them has seen Steve seize and Bo is clearly distressed by it. Cath is trying to remain calm. She has been timing the seizure since it first started but she feels so helpless since there is nothing she can do to help Steve until he stops seizing. 

Cath just watches the clock and holds Bo close, petting him and whispering, trying to comfort the distressed puppy. Two and a half minutes later the convulsions stop and Steve’s muscles slowly start to relax. He is breathing heavily, and there is blood tinged saliva from biting his tongue running down the side of his face. 

Catherine puts Bo back on the floor and grabs a tissue from the box on the side table. She gently wipes the bloody saliva from his face as she speaks soothingly to him. 

Bo goes back to his spot by Steve’s head, nudging him with his nose and licking his face. When he doesn’t get a reaction he lets out a whine and lies down next to Steve so he is pressing up against his chest with his head tucked in close to the neck brace.

Cath is worried about Steve, she knows this is the longest seizure Steve has had since he left the hospital; Steve told her that all his seizures since leaving the hospital have been less than two minutes, usually around a minute and a half. It has been twenty minutes and he still hasn’t started to wake up yet. She realizes though that since it was a longer seizure it may take longer for him to come around. 

Cath runs to the laundry room and grabs a fresh pair of Steve’s boxers and wets a wash cloth to clean him up a bit. Just as she is about to get him out of his soiled pants he starts showing signs of waking.

She moves closer to his head and gently grabs his hand. “Steve, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you’re awake.” Steve’s eyes flicker open and he starts to shift restlessly. Bo stands from his spot against Steve’s chest and starts nudging and licking Steve’s face, letting out the occasional whine. After a few minutes Steve starts to come around more. He reaches with his free hand for Bo who promptly sits to be petted, his tail wagging. 

“Steve can you hear me?”

“Yeah.”

“How are you feeling?” Cath asks as his eyes start to droop, “Hey, Steve. I know you need to sleep but can you help me get you to the guest room? You’ll be more comfortable.”

“ ’kay.” Steve clumsily starts to get up. He’s unsteady and uncoordinated. Cath slings his arm over her shoulder and helps him into a standing position. Slowly, they make their way to the downstairs guest room. Steve is doing his best to help Cath but she is carrying most of his weight. Bo is following along behind them.

They get to the bedroom and before Steve can collapse on the bed Cath swiftly gets his pants and underwear down. She helps him clean up and get into his sleep clothes that she snagged from the laundry room. 

Steve is asleep before his head even hits the pillow. Cath watches him sleep for a few minutes to make sure he is comfortable before picking up his dirty clothes and heading towards the laundry room again. “Come on Bo.” She calls as she starts to turn toward the door. Bo lets out a whine and looks at up Steve on the bed before looking back at Cath. “He’s ok, Buddy. Come.” She calls again Bo just looks at her and lies down on the floor next to the bed, refusing to leave Steve’s side.

“Alright, you stay here and watch out for him. I’ll be right back.” She says to the puppy, smiling at his loyalty to Steve already. Bo has only been home for four days and he is already extremely attached to Steve. 

Cath starts the washing machine before she goes to the living room to grab Bo’s dog bed. She figures if he is going to spend the night camped out by Steve’s side he may as well have his bed. Neither Steve nor Bo have moved from their positions. Catherine puts the dog bed on the floor; she pats the bed and tells Bo to come. Bo slowly gets up and hobbles onto his dog bed. “Good boy Bo.” Cath says as she pets him. 

She checks on Steve to make sure he is doing ok before she heads to the living room to read for a while since it is barely 9 pm. 

“Hey Cath,” Mary greets her a while later when she walks in the door, “where’s Steve?”

“Hi. He had a seizure about an hour ago. He’s sleeping in the guest room right now.”

“How long?”

“Two and a half minutes. We were out on the lanai when the aura started. He came inside and had to lay down on the living room floor because he didn’t have time to make it to the guest room. After he woke up I managed to get him to the bed but it was a challenge. He’s been sleeping ever since. Bo is on his dog bed next to Steve. He didn’t want to leave his side.”

Mary sinks into the recliner and sighs, “Steve hasn’t had a seizure that long since he was in the hospital. I don’t think the meds are working as well as they were hoping. The last medication change was a week and a half ago; I don’t think it has done much for him. I’m afraid of what’s going to happen to him if the meds don’t work.”

Cath is of course concerned about Steve and how this will impact him if the meds don’t work. Steve opened up to her late one night a few days ago. He told her about his suicidal thoughts and how he doesn’t think he could go through with it. Steve’s admissions scared her but she knows in her heart he could never commit suicide. He’s not that selfish. Steve would rather suffer endlessly for others than take an out for himself. It’s just how he is. “He’ll be ok, Mary. We just have to be there for him.”

“I hope you’re right.” Mary says. 

“I’m going to let Bo out and go to bed.” Cath says, marking the page in her book before getting up. She manages to get Bo to go outside but as soon as he is done with his business he is back inside at Steve’s side. She has to wake Steve up to take his next dose of meds. She gently shakes his shoulder, “Steve?”

“Hmm?” Steve says still half asleep.

“You need to wake up to take your meds.”

Steve groans and rolls over onto his back. A minute later he is sitting up and accepting his pills and a glass of water from Cath. After swallowing both pills and half the water he starts to stand. “I need to take Bo out.”

“I just had him outside. He’s fine. Aside from when I took him out, he hasn’t left your side since the seizure. He’s a loyal little guy.” 

Steve bends over so he can pet Bo who is happy to see that his master is ok again. After a few minutes Steve tells Bo to lie down before lying down himself and falling asleep again.

-H50-

Wednesday Steve has his appointment with Dr. Freeman at nine and then is supposed to meet with Dr. Tyson at eleven. Steve is sent for a head CT and x-rays before Dr. Freeman even sees him. As soon as the scan is done Steve is waiting impatiently in Dr. Freeman’s office to be seen. Steve doesn’t have the patience for waiting today; he has a splitting headache and he is still tired. He can tell he isn’t fully recovered from the seizure last night. It takes about five minutes but Dr. Freeman arrives with a large envelope with the results from the CT scan. 

“How have things been going for you Steve?”

“Ok I guess. I had another seizure last night; it was two and a half minutes long. And the aura was shorter than usual. I was outside and didn’t have time to make it to my bed so I had to lie down on the floor.”

“You’re still taking the medications?” Dr. Freeman asks as he checks Steve’ pupils. Steve winces as the bright light aggravates his headache.

“Yeah, I have been taking it as scheduled and haven’t missed a dose yet.”

“Ok, I think it’s time to try a different medication again. I’m going to switch you to a different medication that you will take three times a day with the Carbamazepine.”

Freeman moves to grab the envelope and hangs the films on the light box on the wall. Steve watches as the doctor inspects the two images. He is pretty sure the second image is a comparison image from one of his previous scans but he can’t be sure. 

“The skull fracture looks to be entirely healed up, everything in your scan looks normal. How are the headaches?”

“I still get them but not as frequently as I was, maybe every couple days and they aren’t as severe as they used to be. Reading doesn’t bother me unless I do it for an extended period of time.”

“That’s good to hear. Everything is looking good so far, Steve. You are healing remarkably well. I think now we just need to figure out the right medications to control the seizures.”

“Do you really think we’ll find a medication combo that will work?” 

It takes him a few moments before he answers Steve’s question. “Honestly, Steve, I think we have a pretty good chance. It just might take some time. The Carbamazepine has already reduced the frequency of the seizures by quite a lot. We just need to figure out which medication will work with the Carbamazepine to completely prevent them. It will take some time, Steve; but I’m not going to give up on it.”

“You said previously though that PTE has a tendency to not respond to medications.”

“A lot of times it doesn’t but Steve, what you don’t realize is that you are not the typical PTE patient. Aside from the seizures you haven’t displayed any of the things that normally go along with PTE. The majority of patients with PTE take a lot longer to recover from the brain injury. I know you don’t think so, but your two month recovery from the injury is nothing short of amazing. Most patients in your shoes would take upwards of four or six months to recover as much as you have. You also haven’t had any cognitive effects from your injury and your motor skills are back to one hundred percent. If you were displaying more of the typical PTE characteristics I wouldn’t be as optimistic but I think you have a lot working in your favor.”

Steve mulls over everything Dr. Freeman just told him. He read about all that stuff but he didn’t really realize how atypical his case is. 

“Any questions?”

“No, I guess not.” 

“Ok then, now on to your return to work. I’m going to clear you for desk duty. Starting Monday you are free to go back to work. I want you to start with working half days for the first week or two then if you feel up to it you can go for full days.”

“Ok. What about my neck?”

“Looking at today’s x-rays I’d say four more weeks in the brace and then a few more of physical therapy and you’ll be as good as new. Any other questions?” Dr. Freeman asks as he scribbles Steve’s new prescription on his pad before ripping it off and handing it to Steve.

“I don’t think so.”

“Alright, I will see you in two weeks then.”

Steve slides off the table and bids goodbye to Dr. Freeman. He then heads upstairs for his appointment with Dr. Tyson. 

“How are you doing today, Steve?” Dr. Tyson greets him upon entering his office.

“Pretty good, I guess.”

“That’s good to hear. I apologize for having to cancel or our last appointment. My wife had to have emergency gallbladder surgery on Friday.”

“I hope she’s doing better.” Steve replies.

“She’s feeling much better, thanks. How have things been going for you Steve? It has been a week since we last talked.”

“Well Friday Stacy released me from rehab until the neck brace comes off and Dr. Freeman cleared me for desk duty today.”

“That’s all good news. How are things at home?”

“Good, Cath’s been staying with me since she’s been back. And I got a dog.”

“Really? A seizure dog or just a companion?”

“Just a companion dog.” Steve proceeds to tell his therapist the story of how he came to be a dog owner. 

“I think you made a good decision Steve. Dogs can provide some of the best therapy there is whether they are trained for it or not. I can tell you are in a better frame of mind today than you have been for the last few weeks.”

“Mary and Danny have said the same thing. I think having Catherine here has really helped too. I didn’t realize how much it was really bothering me keeping all this from her. “

“I would agree with that. How do you feel about going back to work?”

Steve just shrugs, “I don’t know, part of me wants to go back because I’m sick of being home all day and not doing anything but another part of me is dreading it.”

“Why are you dreading it?”

“Because I hate doing paperwork and I hate being stuck behind a desk. I don’t know what I’m going to do when my team is out in the field and I’m stuck in the office. Or what will happen if I find out I’m going to be riding a desk forever.”

“Steve, you can’t think about that right now. You need to concentrate on the present and not worry about the future right now. One day at a time. As for the paperwork, I know that’s no fun but it’s still an important part of your job. You can still be a part of the action you will just have to do it from behind a computer screen. It won’t be an easy adjustment but it’s one you will make with the help of your team.”

Steve sighs, “I guess.”

“Alright Steve, our time is up for today. I’ll see you again on Friday.”

Once home the first thing Steve does is take Bo out of his crate to let him out in the yard to take care of business and plays with him for a bit. Mary makes salads for lunch and as soon as they are done eating, Steve swallows a couple more Advil for his headache and crashes on the couch. He hasn’t felt this tired in the afternoon for a couple weeks now. 

TBC


	31. Chapter 31

Monday finds Steve awake before the sun comes up. He is nervous about going back to work. He lies awake in bed for nearly an hour before he needs to get up. Bo, who has stopped sleeping in his crate at night and is now sleeping on his dog bed on the floor next to Steve, wakes up at five thirty and starts pawing at the bed and making noise to go outside.

Steve rolls out of bed and scratches Bo behind the ears. Bo follows him downstairs, he is excited to go out and then have his breakfast. Steve makes a pot of coffee as Bo attacks his food bowl with gusto. When Steve took him back to the vet on Thursday to have his stitches out and cast changed Dr. Adams weighed him and he’s already put on nearly two pounds since Steve first brought him in. Bo is still on the lean side and still small but he’s doing really well for what he has been through. 

Once Catherine is out of the shower and downstairs Steve heads up to take a shower and get dressed for work. After he showers and shaves he dons a pair of khaki cargo pants and a white v-neck t-shirt and a dark blue over shirt. 

When Steve is done getting ready for work he heads back downstairs for breakfast. Cath is at the table eating some peanut butter toast while Mary is inhaling her coffee. Steve grabs the box of granola and the sliced fruit and yogurt out of the fridge to make his breakfast. After Steve fixes himself a bowl of yogurt he heads for the table, glancing around for Bo. Steve finds Bo lying under the table happily chewing on one of Steve’s flip flops. 

“No.” Steve says firmly, “Bo give.” Steve grabs his flip flop and repeats the command until Bo lets it go. “Good boy, Bo.” Steve praises the puppy and gives him one of his toys to chew on instead. He inspects the shoe, finding that aside from some teeth marks there isn’t too much damage. They’re still wearable. 

“The joys of puppyhood, huh?” Cath smiles over her coffee mug. 

“Yeah, hopefully after he’s done teething he will outgrow this chewing phase.” The remainder of breakfast is eaten in silence, Steve isn’t in the mood for chitchat right now, he is still nervous about his first half day back at work. Cath is going to drop him off at the Palace on her way to base and Mary will pick him up at ten thirty for his appointment with Dr. Tyson. 

“Hey Mary, don’t forget to let Bo outside before you come get me later. And make sure you lock him in his crate when you leave. Otherwise the house will be chewed to pieces if you leave him out.” Steve tells his little sister as he gets ready to leave.

Mary is sitting on the living room floor playing with Bo. “Don’t worry about us, Steve. Bo will be fine here with me, won’t you buddy?” she says, playfully tousling the puppy’s ears. 

“Alright, I’ll see you later, Mare.” 

“Have a good day!” She calls, watching her brother walk out the door. 

Steve is silent on the drive to the Palace. He is nervous but he is trying not to show it. He isn’t really sure why he is nervous though, it isn’t like he is starting a new job or has a new boss or coworkers. Everything will be the same except he will spend the day behind his desk and Danny is in charge of the team when they are out of the office.

Cath pulls up into the parking lot, Steve sees that Danny, Chin, and Kono are all already at work. Cath leans over and gives Steve a kiss on the cheek. “Everything will be fine, Babe.” She tries to soothe him; she picked up on his nervousness before they even left the house. 

“I don’t know why I’m so nervous. This isn’t anything I haven’t done before.” Steve confides, twisting in his seat to see Cath better.

“You haven’t been at work in two months, its normal for you to be nervous about going back; especially after such a severe injury. Keep in mind you are still recovering and not back at one hundred percent yet.”

“Yeah, I know. I just hate that I have to be on desk duty indefinitely. And my team has changed; they won’t even talk about cases in front of me anymore for fear that they will hurt my feelings. Not to mention Danny has been leading the task force for the last two months, I can’t really take back leadership since I can’t be in the field. It will be weird.”

“It may be a bit awkward these first few days but things will straighten out and you’ll be fine.” Cath gives him another kiss and squeezes his hand. 

“Thanks, Cath. I’ll see you tonight.” Steve says as he climbs out of the car.

Steve takes the stairs up to HQ. He enters to find Danny, Chin, and Kono gathered around the smart table.

“Hey, Boss! Welcome back!” Kono says greeting him with a hug.

“Good to have you back, brah.” Chin states with a smile, slapping him on the back.

“It’s great to have you back, partner.” Danny says, giving Steve a man hug. “We brought malasadas and coffee.”

“So what’s going on?” Steve asks right before taking a bite of a malasada. He doesn’t touch the coffee, he’s already had one cup this morning so he probably shouldn’t have any more for a few hours. 

His team fills him in on the details of their latest case as they eat malasadas and drink coffee around the smart table. They just wrapped up a murder case on Saturday so today is dedicated to filling out the paperwork that goes with it unless they get a new case today. 

Less than ten minutes later Danny’s phone rings, he steps away from the group to take the call. 

“Hey we have a case.” Danny says as he shoves his phone back into his pocket. “Two bodies found in an alleyway off Ala Moana Boulevard. Sorry Steve, we have to go.” Danny looks apologetic at having to leave Steve behind already on his first day back.

“Yeah, keep me updated. Call if you need anything.” Steve waves them out. After they are all out the door, he sighs and heads for his office, not really sure what to do.

Steve hates that he can’t go out to the crime scene with his team. He has only been at work for twenty minutes and he is already wishing he wasn’t there. In his office he finds a stack of reports on his desk that need his signature. He starts going through the stack, catching up on everything he missed while he was gone.

He spends an hour doing that, when he is finished he glances at the clock and sees that he still has an hour left before Mary will be here to take him to his appointment with Dr. Tyson. He boots up his computer and logs in to his email. He has 400 some odd emails from the last two months. 

Steve can’t believe he has so many unread emails. The thought of reading through all of them is overwhelming but he knows it is something that he needs to do. He starts by weeding out all of the junk emails, despite the strong firewalls and spam filters Chin set up, he still somehow gets a high number of spam mail every day. He makes a mental note to ask Chin if he can look into changing the settings again.

Steve spends twenty minutes deleting junk emails and is left with only about 200 emails that he needs to go through; still a lot but at least it is a more manageable number. The next forty minutes are spent going through emails, replying to some and just deleting others. 

Mary sends him a text at 10:25 letting him know that she is waiting in the parking lot for him. Steve responds with a ‘be down in a min” text and saves the draft of the email he was typing before shutting down his computer and exiting the office; glad to be done for the day.

“Hey bro, how was your first morning back at work?” Mary greets him with a smile when he climbs in to the passenger seat of the blue Silverado. 

“Boring. The team got called out to a scene twenty minutes after I got there and still haven’t returned. There wasn’t a lot for me to do other than go through old reports and the 400 emails I had waiting for me.”

Mary gives her brother a sympathetic look. She can’t imagine how boring that was for Steve. “I’m sure things will get better once you are back in the swing of things.”

“Maybe.” Steve says without any conviction. He stares out the windshield in silence the rest of the drive to the hospital for his appointment with Dr. Tyson. 

“How are things going, Steve?” Dr. Tyson greets him as usual. Steve just gives a slight shrug as he takes a seat in his normal spot. 

“How did your first half day back at work go?” he prods, trying to get something out of Steve. 

“It wasn’t bad but not really good either.” 

“Well so-so is better than terrible.”

“I was bored out of my mind. My team had coffee and malasadas waiting for me, I didn’t drink any coffee since I had already had a cup but I had a malasada. Then twenty minutes later Danny got a call and they had to leave to investigate a crime scene.”

“So you spent all morning alone in the office.” Dr. Tyson surmises. 

Steve sighs, “Yeah, there wasn’t a lot to do, mostly looked over old reports and then started going through the 400 emails I had waiting in my inbox.”

“Both of which are necessary evils.” 

“Yeah, I know. I just hate having to actually do it. Even before I was hurt Danny did most of the paperwork. Says that when I do it the Governor is less receptive to our requests.”

“Why is that?” Dr. Tyson asks curiously.

“Danny comes up with creative ways to say things. He sugarcoats things per say whereas I state things matter of fact. He says Governor Jameson responds to our antics better when he comes up with a nice way to say ‘Kono roundhouse kicked the suspect to subdue him’.”

Dr. Tyson grins, “Well I can see Danny’s reasoning for that. What else bothered you about being back at work today?”

Steve shrugs, “Nothing really I guess.” He sighs, “You know, this isn’t the first time I have been on desk duty. I mean, yeah with Five-0 it is but I’ve been injured before when I was an active SEAL. There were a few times when I was injured bad enough that I got stuck doing office type work while I recovered. I spent nearly three months in Coronado working on base while I recovered after I was injured on a mission.”

“And did being benched then ever bother you like this?”

“I got annoyed with it but I think the reason this is bothering me so much is because I know there is a possibility that I might be on desk duty permanently. The other times I knew I’d make a full recovery and be back on duty as soon as I recovered.” Steve admits.

“I know that has to be difficult knowing you may not be able to go back to field work. You need to try to stop dwelling on that though. What has Dr. Freeman said about your seizure meds?”

“Just that it might take several more weeks or months but he thinks there is a good chance we’ll find a medication that will stop them since I’m not the typical PTE patient.”

“You just need to try to be patient and try not to get discouraged.”

“I know. It’s hard not to sometimes. It’s so frustrating every time I have another seizure. The last was the longest I’ve had since I left the hospital.”

“Are you still taking the antidepressant?”

“Yeah, every morning. I think it’s helping a little but I’m not really sure.”

“I think it is helping you, Steve. You have been in a better frame of mind these last couple weeks. Today is an exception but you have had a stressful morning and your first day back at work is bound to bring up some strong emotions. I think you are doing really well given the circumstances. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss? Our time for today is almost up.”

“Can’t think of anything. I’ll see you again Wednesday, then.” Steve starts to stand from his chair.

“Yes, I think you should keep coming three times a week for a couple more weeks until you are more comfortable with going back to work. After that we can knock the sessions down to once or twice a week.”

“Alright, that’s fine with me.” Steve says, he isn’t thrilled about it but he will admit that his sessions with Dr. Tyson are helping him.

-H50-

Bo excitedly greets Steve when he lets the puppy out of the crate in the living room. Seeing how happy Bo is to see him puts a smile on his face and brightens his mood. Steve takes Bo outside to let him take care of business and let him burn off some energy. Steve tosses a tennis ball for him to fetch a few times. Bo brings the ball back a couple times before he grabs the ball and plops down in the grass to chew on the ball and roll around in the grass.

After half an hour of play, Steve and Bo head inside for lunch. Mary is just finishing putting the sandwiches together for her and Steve. Steve gives Bo a scoop of dog food before he and Mary sit down to eat. 

When Bo finishes his lunch he goes to lie down by Steve’s feet under the table.

A couple minutes later, Steve’s phone goes off with a call from Danny. “McGarrett.” Steve answers. 

“Hey, sorry we had to run out on you like that. I know it’s not how you wanted to spend your first day back.” Danny apologizes; he hated leaving Steve behind in the office this morning. 

“It’s fine. What did you find out on the case?” Steve stands to go into the other room to talk to Danny. Bo follows him like a shadow.

“Not a lot, two tourists found shot execution style in an ally. We’re still working on ID’ing them. A restaurant worker found them when she went out for a smoke. Max thinks they’d been dead for about eight hours.”

“Alright. Well keep me updated.”

“You sure you’re ok, Steve?” Danny asks, voice full of concern. 

“I’m fine, Danny. Just tired.”

“Ok, well if you want to talk you can call me anytime you know.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow, Danno.” Steve ends the call and settles in on the couch with Bo curled up on the floor next to him. 

-H50-

The rest of the week passes slowly for Steve. Steve starts to settle back in at the office a little easier once things start to pick up a bit and he actually has useful things to do that can contribute to solving crimes. On Thursday he takes Bo to work with him since he has to take him to the vet again to have the cast changed when he leaves work. 

Having Bo in the office with him makes things more tolerable. He does computer stuff for the case and makes phone calls while Bo lies under his desk at his feet chewing on one of his toys. Bo gives Steve the occasional distraction he needs when things slow down and he starts to dwell on the fact that he might either be stuck in the office permanently, or will need to find a new career. 

Bo also seems to sense when Steve’s mood changes as he starts to act goofy and tries to get Steve to play with him or he does something to try to make Steve laugh when he senses Steve’s mood starting to sour. Steve appreciates it more than anyone will ever know. 

It is the middle of the afternoon on Thursday when Steve and Mary finally get home after taking Bo to the vet. Bo and Steve both appear to be worn out so Mary sends them both upstairs for a quick nap while she makes a casserole for supper. 

Steve wakes shortly after five when he hears Cath get home from work. He greets her with a sleepy kiss as she enters the room to change out of her uniform.

“How was your day?” He asks as he stretches and attempts to wake up a little more. 

“Pretty good, working on base isn’t as exciting as the ship but it’s so nice to be able to leave when the day is over and come home. How was your day?”

“Ok, I took Bo with me today; he laid by my feet and chewed on his toys while I worked. Got his cast changed today, Dr. Adams says his leg is healing nicely and he should be out of the cast in another couple weeks.” 

“I’ve noticed he’s had more energy and spunk the last few days compared to when he first came home; not that he wasn’t energetic before, but these last few days he’s been a lot more rambunctious.”

“ Yeah, I wonder if it’s because he was in his crate most of the mornings.” Steve reaches down to pet the still slumbering dog. Bo wakes up after a couple of strokes of Steve’s hand down his back. He stretches and rolls over onto his back for a belly rub. It doesn’t take long for him to start playfully nipping at Steve’s fingers and trying to get a hold of his hand with his paws. 

“Ow!” Steve exclaims when Bo gets a little too rough with his sharp puppy teeth. “Alright, enough of that Bo.” Steve gives him a chew toy to distract him with instead. 

Steve makes a trip to the bathroom while Cath changes out of her uniform before they head downstairs, Steve holding Cath’s hand with Bo in the other since he hasn’t figured out how to go down the stairs with a casted hind leg. 

It’s a beautiful night so the three of them eat out on the lanai while Bo plays in the grass nearby. After they are finished eating, Steve calls Bo over so he can have his supper too. Bo attacks his food with vigor and it doesn’t take long before he is finished with his meal.

Later that night Catherine is woken up by Bo’s barks. She rolls over to see that Steve is lying on his left side facing away from her apparently in the midst of a seizure. Cath glances at the alarm clock before jumping out of bed to turn the lights on so she can see. Bo is standing with his paws up on the side of the bed next to Steve, he stopped barking after Cath got up.

There isn’t anything Cath can do but wait until the seizure’s over so she just gives Bo a few pets and praises him for waking her up. She is glad that Steve lets him sleep on his dog bed in his room at night instead of in his crate. 

Steve finally stops seizing a little over a minute after Cath woke up. She isn’t sure how long he’d been seizing before Bo woke her but she doesn’t think it was for very long. She is pretty sure she would have woken up when the seizure got a little more violent and the bed started moving a little more but she is happy Bo alerted her.

Cath sits on the edge of the bed waiting for Steve to start coming around. Bo paws at the side and whines until she picks him up and sets him on the bed next to Steve. He promptly gives Steve a couple licks on the face before curling up against his chest like he did after the first seizure Steve had after taking Bo in. 

When Steve starts to come around Bo gets up and starts nudging and licking Steve’s face until he is fully aware. 

“Why’s Bo on the bed?” Steve mumbles in confusion when he is finally somewhat aware.

“You had a seizure. Bo started barking and woke me up. He wanted to make sure you were ok.” Cath explains as she strokes Steve’s hair back. 

“Hmm.” Steve replies as his eyes start to droop. He still has one had curled around Bo, who is now lying next to Steve’s head.

Once Steve is asleep again Cath goes downstairs and grabs a dog treat for Bo. She picks up the puppy and sets him back down on his dog bed before giving him the treat. “Thanks for watching out for him.” Cath says as she pets Bo. She sits on the floor petting him for a couple more minutes before sighing and getting back in bed to try to go back to sleep.

TBC


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Over the next few weeks things start to pick up more for Five-0. As they get more cases and there is more for Steve to do he settles in more and doesn’t mind going to work so much. Now that he has something useful to do at work he feels less like he is just there taking up space and more like he is actually helping the team solve cases. 

At the moment, Steve is on his way to his appointment with Dr. Freeman; today is the day he will finally get the neck brace off. It’s been exactly twelve weeks since he was injured and Steve is more than ready to be rid of the annoying brace.

The first thing that happens when he arrives in Dr. Freeman’s office is he is sent down to radiology for another x-ray and MRI of his neck to make sure his fractured vertebra has healed completely. It takes nearly an hour for him to have both the x-rays and the MRI and then he has to wait another twenty minutes for Dr. Freeman to arrive. 

“Sorry I’m late Steve. There was an emergency downstairs that held me up.”

“That’s alright. So, can I ditch the brace?” Steve doesn’t beat around the bush, the sooner it comes off the better. 

“Let’s take a look at your scan and x-rays and we’ll see.” The doctor pulls the films out of the envelope and hangs them on the light box. He studies them for a few minutes before turning back to Steve. “Everything looks really good, Steve. I think it is safe to remove the neck brace.” Dr. Freeman goes to the cupboard and pulls something out before he starts undoing the straps that hold the brace in place around Steve’s neck. “Now, your muscles are going to be stiff and weak for a while since they have been immobilized for so long. I want you to wear this soft collar for support.” Steve scowls disdainfully at the soft foam collar. “I know you don’t want to wear it, Steve, but your muscles need the support. You’ll still be able to turn your head and nod; it will just give your neck some support while you regain your muscle strength and range of motion.”

Steve heaves a sigh but allows Dr. Freeman to place the soft collar around his neck. He has to admit though that after having the brace off for just a few minutes, he can feel his neck muscles burning already. They are stiff and it hurts to move but it feels even better to be free of the restrictive brace. 

“How long will I have to wear this?” Steve asks as he rolls his shoulders, trying to loosen up his stiff muscles.

“Probably just a week or two. I’ll leave that up to Stacy. You’ll go down for some physical therapy when we are done here and she will go over some more things with you about your neck and about wearing the soft collar. My only stipulation is you put the brace on again if your neck starts to hurt more than just the muscle aches. If you hear or feel any abnormal popping you need to put the brace back on and get your neck checked out right away. Understood?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Now, how are things going with the seizures? It has been nearly a month since we changed your medication.”

Steve shrugs slightly. “I have been having a seizure at least once every week. Last week I had two.”

“Have you noticed a pattern?”

“Not really, just that they seem to happen every five to eight days most of the time, sometimes they happen more frequently. I can’t really predict when one will happen until the aura starts. Sometimes I’ll get them in the middle of the night when I’m sound asleep and other times it will be the middle of the afternoon or evening. I don’t think anything I do really impacts or triggers the seizures, or at least not that I have noticed anyway.”

“Ok, well since you have been on this medication for a month and it clearly isn’t helping, I’m going to go ahead and switch you to a different medication.”

Dr. Freeman asks some more questions about the seizures and when they happen before finally deciding that it is time to try out a combination of three medications. He writes Steve two prescriptions for two different medications that he will take in addition to the Carbamazepine. 

“Start these tonight and I’ll see you again in a couple weeks. Stacy is expecting you downstairs for therapy. I’ll let her decide when it is safe for you to stop wearing the soft collar since now it is just a matter of strengthening your muscles.”

“Thank you.” Steve says, taking the two papers and sliding off the table. 

“Don’t forget this.” Dr. Freeman holds up the old neck brace.

“Right.” Steve says, taking the hated brace from his doctor. Upon leaving Dr. Freeman’s office, Steve heads down a couple floors to the physical therapy ward. 

Stacy is waiting for him when he arrives. She smiles and greets him, “Hey Steve, how’s it going? Good to see you out of the brace.” 

“Thanks, its going. How are you?” Steve replies, sliding onto the table that Stacy motions for him to sit on.

“I’m good, thanks. How’s your neck feeling?” Stacy steps up in front of Steve and proceeds to remove the soft foam collar.

“Stiff. It feels like my head is going to fall off; feels good though to be out of the brace though. Even if I do have to wear that thing.” Steve waves a hand at the collar Stacy is now setting down on the table. 

“Well I assure you your head is going to stay firmly attached to your body.” She grins at him, “But I can tell you that you are going to have to live with that stiff feeling and sore muscles for a two or three days.”

“I can live with that.”

“Good to hear, today we are going to start with some basic exercises moving your neck forward and back with a little bit of side to side movement but I don’t want to overwork your muscles too much on the first day so tomorrow we’ll start with more of the side to side stuff. I want you to take it easy today so you don’t strain your muscles and have a setback.”

Stacy spends the next half hour going over range of motion exercises and stretches for Steve to do, both at home and some that he will only do in therapy. 

“Alright Steve, two more of these and then I’ll massage your muscles and you’ll be done for today.” Steve is currently laying belly down on the table with his head hanging over the end; he’s bending his neck down towards the floor and bringing it back up to a neutral position. When he finishes the two reps she instructs him to roll over on this back and slide down so his head is resting on the table. Stacy then stands behind him and begins to massage his neck to help relax the muscles and loosen them up a bit.

“How does that feel?” Stacy asks once Steve is back in a sitting position on the table.

“It hurts a little but it feels good to be able to move again.” He says as Stacy fastens the collar around his neck again.

“The pain is normal, it will go away in a few days as your muscles loosen up. You can alter hot and cold packs on your neck to ease some of the aches and take some Motrin or whatever Dr. Freeman has okayed for you to take if it really bothers you.”

“How long will I have to wear the soft collar? Dr. Freeman said he was going to leave that up to you.”

“I think you’ll be completely out of it by the middle of next week, maybe earlier but I think by this time next week you’ll be free of it. You can take it off when you are laying down resting or are in the shower but otherwise I want you to wear it whenever you are up. Try not to make any sudden moves with your neck either.”

“Alright and Dr. Freeman said if I hear any abnormal popping to put the rigid brace on and get my neck checked out right away. Anything else I need to know?”

“If you don’t have it on and you feel a seizure coming, you need to put either the soft collar or the brace on right away before the seizure starts. Your bones are healed but they are still fragile, we don’t want you jerking your neck around during a seizure right away and damaging your freshly healed vertebra.”

“No that definitely wouldn’t be good.” Steve agrees. 

“Do the range of motion exercises like I showed you again tonight and in the morning but don’t overdo it.” She gives him a stern look before continuing, “If you don’t have any more questions, you are free to go and I will see you tomorrow.”

“Thanks Stacy.” Steve bids goodbye to his physical therapist before heading down to the parking lot. Just as he is stepping outside to call Mary to let her know he is done, she pulls up in front of the building with Bo in the passenger seat. Bo has an appointment with the vet to have his leg checked out and maybe get the cast off today if all is looking well.

“Hey Bro!” Mary greets him as he climbs into the truck. “Not quite collar free, huh?”

“No, I have to wear this dumb thing for another week.” Steve grumbles; he has to push an excited Bo over a bit so he can sit on the seat. As soon as he is seated, Bo tries to sit on Steve’s lap and lick his face in greeting; he doesn’t fit as well as he used to though. Bo has been growing steadily over the last few weeks and it takes Steve more of an effort to pick him up and carry him than it did when Steve first got him.

“How come? I thought your neck would be fully healed by now?”

“It is, this is just for support until my muscles have strengthened again.”

“Bummer.” Mary can tell her big brother is annoyed at the prospect of having to wear the foam collar for a while longer. “At least it’s better than not having the brace off at all.” She tries to point out the bright side.

“I guess.” Steve turns his attention to Bo who is starting to chew on the corner of the big pocket on the side of his cargo pants. He keeps the puppy, who just wants to chew, distracted for the remainder of the drive to the vet clinic.

Dr. Adams takes an x-ray of Bo’s leg and determines that the bone is completely healed. Steve tries to keep Bo still while Dr. Adams removes the cast from Bo’s hind leg. After the cast is off, Steve sets Bo on the floor, he hobbles a little and at first he doesn’t seem quite sure how to walk with four fully functional legs now but after a couple minutes he gets it figured out and loses the hobble he’s developed after five weeks in a cast.

Dr. Adams then takes Bo over to the scale to weigh him. Bo has been growing like a weed lately. He now weighs twenty nine pounds, up from the thirteen pounds he weighed when Steve found him five weeks ago. His shoulders come up almost to Steve’s knees now, so while he is still very lean and on the small side he is growing steadily and Dr. Adams is happy with his progress so far. 

Steve is pretty sure most of his growth is happening in his ears though. They just seem to get bigger and bigger by the day. They are starting to stand up, some days they will be completely floppy and others they will stand up with just the last inch or two of the tip flopping down. Sometimes they will both be up but leaning to the center like a TP or one will be up and the other down. Dr. Adams assures Steve that Bo will grow into his ears and that by the time he is done teething in a few months his ears should stand up completely straight as they gain strength and the cartilage develops. It amuses Steve to see which way his ears are standing (or flopping) throughout the day.

Bo is given a clean bill of health, along with the freedom to run and go for longer walks now that the cast is off and his leg is healed. Steve leads Bo, who still has to learn his leash manners, out to the truck. 

While Steve and Bo were in the vet clinic, Mary was looking around and doing some shopping in the strip mall that is next door to the vet clinic. As Steve walks Bo in the grass outside he sends a quick text to Mary to let her know they are ready whenever she is. She replies back a couple seconds later that she will be out in a few minutes. 

Steve keeps Bo on the leash but lets him play and sniff around in the grass outside the clinic while they wait for Mary. After looking at his watch he sees that by now it is nearly two pm and he hasn’t had lunch yet. He decides that instead of heading back to work, he just wants to get some lunch and go home to relax. He has had a busy morning; his neck is aching from physical therapy and the ache in his neck has traveled up into his skull for the beginnings of a headache. He sends a text to Danny, Chin, and Kono letting them all know that he won’t be returning to work today.

Mary steps out of the nearby deli with a bag of sandwiches for lunch since neither of them have eaten yet. “Hey I got you your favorite Kalua pig sandwich from the deli.” She says as she walks up to Steve who is leaning against his Silverado, watching Bo roll around in the grass. 

“Hey. Thanks Mare.” Steve says pushing off against the truck before calling Bo, who obediently comes running over to Steve.

“You wanna eat then head back to work?” Mary inquires, heading around the truck to the driver’s side.

“Nah, there isn’t much point going back this late in the day.” He replies, lifting Bo into the cab. 

Mary watches closely as Steve climbs into the truck and can see that he looks tired and his brow is pinched in pain. “So Bo got a clean bill of health?”

“Yeah, the vet said he is looking good and catching up with his growth.” Steve replies, giving Bo a good scratch behind the ears. The rest of the drive passes silently. Steve concentrates on keeping Bo from chewing up Mary’s purse.

Once home, Steve lets Bo wander in the back yard for a bit while he and Mary eat on the lanai; then he plays a game of fetch with Bo to burn some energy before he herds the puppy inside so they can both take a nap. Steve decides to head upstairs to his room for his nap since Mary is doing one of her yoga DVDs in the living room. 

Bo follows on his heels and is content to lay down on his dog bed for a little siesta. His time with Steve in the Five-0 office, along with his trip to the vet, and game of fetch wore him out a bit so he is more than happy to have nap time on the floor next to his master. 

Before Steve lies down he unfastens the foam collar and sets it on his bedside table. He thinks it is a little sad that he is excited to sleep. For the first time in twelve weeks he can lie down comfortably without an annoying, restrictive neck brace to prevent him from really getting comfortable in bed. His entire life he has always been a stomach sleeper so these last twelve weeks being forced to sleep on his back or his side, with extra pillows under his head, have been a struggle for him. 

At first, his neck hurts a little to be turned so much to the side for the first time in twelve weeks as he lies down, he arranges his pillows and arms so that there is less strain on his neck and so that it isn’t turned so far to the side. But after a few minutes the muscles and ligaments stretch out and relax a bit so it is less uncomfortable for him. 

Less than five minutes later he is fast asleep with a smile on his face. He can finally sleep in comfort. 

-H50- 

Later that day Steve is dressed in board shorts and is heading down to the beach. He still can’t go for a swim but he decides it is time for Bo to be introduced to the water. Steve has kept him off the beach and away from the water since he got him because of the cast on his leg. He didn’t want Bo getting it wet and then having to replace the cast or risk getting sand caught in it that would cause skin irritations for the puppy. 

Bo is a little unsure what to think of the water at first, he kind of paws at it and tries to catch the waves that come onto the beach with his mouth. He can’t figure out though why they come and go. He stares at the waves curiously with his head cocked and his ears perked up. 

Steve throws a ball into the water for him, just a few feet out to see if Bo will go after it. Bo acts like he wants to but he still isn’t sure about going in the water. It isn’t until Steve and Mary are both in the water up to their knees and Steve starts calling Bo to come. Bo paces back and forth, letting out the occasional bark and a few whines. After a few more minutes of Steve calling for him, he finally decides to venture into the water and once he is in he loves it. He runs and splashes through the water excitedly, still trying to catch the waves. Steve watches Bo play with a smile on his face; who knew a puppy could provide so much entertainment. He moves towards the shore so the water comes up just above his ankles. He doesn’t want to go out too deep in case he has another seizure.

This is the site that Catherine comes home to shortly after five. It warms her heart to see Steve looking so happy and relaxed. Having Bo in the house has definitely changed Steve for the better and Bo is helping Steve cope with his injuries and the PTE much better than he had been coping before Bo came into his life. Cath just stands on the lanai and watches the siblings laugh lightheartedly at Bo’s antics in the water. She snaps a few pictures on her phone before retreating inside to change out of her uniform and into something more comfortable and beach appropriate. 

Catherine walks down to water; she wraps her arm around Steve from behind. “Hey Babe, how did today go?”

Steve turns so he is facing his girlfriend; he wraps his arms around her and leans down to give her a kiss before replying, “Hi, it was pretty good. I have to wear this for the next week or so before I’m finally free. Bo’s leg is healed and he got the cast off. How was work?”

“Good. Bo looks like he’s enjoying the water.” Mary is throwing the ball for Bo who happily chases after it and then plays keep away from Mary for a few minutes. 

“Yeah, it took him a while to work up the courage to come it but once he finally did he loved it.” 

They spend another hour in the water before heading back up to the house. Mary and Cath work together to make fajitas, Spanish rise, and guacamole for supper. After they eat, Mary heads out to meet up with an old friend, they are going to go listen to one of their old high school classmates sing at a coffeehouse. She has reconnected with several of her old friends from her childhood. Steve is glad that she finally has some friends who aren’t into drugs or who aren’t junkies or deadbeats. 

Steve and Catherine head to bed shortly after Steve takes his last dose of medication for the night. They one more day of work before they both have a three day weekend. Monday is the Fourth of July so the Five-0 team is off unless a major case comes up. Steve and Cath are planning on having a barbeque on Monday with the team to celebrate. 

TBC


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33  
Monday is the Fourth of July so Catherine and the Five-0 team have a three day weekend, providing Five-0 isn’t assigned a major case. It is early Monday afternoon and so far they haven’t been called in to work. Currently, the team, Catherine, Mary, and Grace are all in Steve’s backyard. The girls are building a sandcastle while the guys are up on the lanai grilling steaks and vegetables. Mary, Cath, and Kono, with the help of Grace, put together the salads, chopped the vegetables, and wrapped the potatoes for the grill so they put the guys in charge of cooking since they did all the prep work earlier that day while the guys sat on the lanai. 

Bo is chained up lying in the grass chewing on a dog bone. Steve chained him up earlier because he was trying to “help” Grace build her sandcastle only his version of help was a little on the destructive side. After they eat Steve will unchain him and take him down to the water to play for a while. 

Steve went to the hospital Friday and Saturday for physical therapy on his neck. Yesterday and today were off days because of the holiday but Stacy told him that he could start going for short periods during the day without the soft collar, although she told him no more than two hours without it at a time. So at the moment, Steve is collar free for awhile. 

Steve is taking the steaks off the grill while Danny puts the vegetables in a bowl and Chin gets the condiments from the house. 

Steve whistles and calls to the girls on the beach, “Lunch is ready!”

It only takes a minute or two for the four of them to run up to the house and get washed up before joining the men at the table on the lanai. Steve is seated between Cath and Grace. He helps Grace fill her plate and cuts a steak in half for her. 

The meal is full of light hearted laughter, everyone is relaxed and happy. The last time they were all together like this was Memorial Day. After Memorial Day and Steve returned to work, the Five-0 caseload picked up and they were working case after case for the entire month of June with very little free time, and what free time they did have they usually spent sleeping. Steve was working pretty much normal hours so he wasn’t as run down as the rest of the team but if he would have had it his way he would have been with the team every step of the way. But Dr. Freeman and the governor made it clear that if he wanted to be back at work he can’t work more than eight hours a day until further notice. 

Steve hates it. He feels that by ducking out at five o’clock every day he isn’t pulling his weight with the work and he’s letting the team down. Catherine has reassured him multiple times that he isn’t letting them down at all and the most important thing is that he continues to heal. Steve won’t admit it but at the end of the day he still gets headaches from looking at the computer screen for too long and at the end of the day, he’s exhausted. Exhausted from spending the day at his desk doing paperwork, it’s ridiculous to Steve that he gets so worn out from sitting at his desk all day. 

After everyone has finished eating, they all pitch in and work together to clean up. When everything is put away, everyone but Steve and Danny heads out to the water to surf. Danny and Steve stay on the beach and play with Bo. Once Bo gets in the water, it is almost impossible to get him out. Steve and Danny throw his ball over and over again until Bo finally gets tired and flops down in the sand where the waves wash up against his side. 

Steve and Danny follow in suit only they go for the lawn chairs on the beach rather than lying in the surf. Danny studies Steve for a few minutes; it’s good to see him without the neck brace although he imagines that Steve is ready to burn the foam collar it was replaced with. He had it off for a couple hours during lunch but Cath made him put it back on before she headed into the water when she caught him rubbing his neck. Danny thinks he looks pretty content with things right now but he can’t help but wonder about the strained look he gets whenever he is in the office. Given their business of the last few weeks, he hasn’t really had a chance to talk to Steve lately. 

“How are you doing, Steve?”

“Fine.” Steve says glancing over at Danny with a quizzical look on his face. 

Danny elaborates, “I don’t mean right now, I mean with everything. Being back at work, the epilepsy, everything.” 

Steve is silent for so long that Danny thinks he’s maybe not going to answer until he finally speaks up, eyes still locked on Bo who is again playing in the surf. “I don’t know, Danny.” Steve lets out a sigh, “It’s nice to be back at work but I can’t stand being behind my desk all day. And having to leave at five every day, especially when we have a big case and you guys have to keep working, I feel like I’m not pulling my weight.”

“Steve, you aren’t letting us down by working normal hours. You aren’t fully recovered yet and we don’t want you to have a set back because you exhausted yourself. We need you to follow doctor’s orders until you are fully recovered. It’s only been 3 months since you were injured and you scrambled your brains pretty good. I can tell that you are still suffering the effects of it. You’ve made a lot of really good progress but it’s going to take a while before you are one hundred percent healed from the brain injury. Me, Chin, and Kono understand that. The most important thing is that you get better. If that means that sometimes we have to work as a team of three instead of four so you can heal then so be it. We’d rather have it that way than you not be able to return at all. We need our fearless leader, even if he is only in the office and not in the field. Don’t beat yourself up because you are human and you need time to get better.” Danny watches Steve carefully; he is still switching his attention from Bo to the rest of their ohana out surfing, Steve won’t even look at Danny. 

“As for you being stuck behind a desk all day, I know you hate it and I know how much it sucks. But Steve, you have helped us so much on these last few cases. If it weren’t for you working behind the scenes it would have taken us a lot longer to take down the drug cartel and I don’t think we would have found Hannah Jefferson alive if it weren’t for you.” Danny tells Steve, speaking of the four year old girl that was kidnapped for ransom from her home two weeks ago. 

That finally gets Steve attention. “It’s true.” Danny emphasizes, “Without you we wouldn’t have been able to save that little girl and if it weren’t for you there would still be a bunch of members of that drug cartel distributing drugs on our island. We need you Steve, even if you are just doing behind the scenes stuff. I know you hate it, but you are good at analyzing the data and figuring out leads just from that.”

Steve just looks at Danny and nods, he isn’t able to voice his thanks at the moment but Danny can see it on his face. 

Bo comes running over to Steve, all wet and sandy, with his ball in his mouth. He drops it at Steve’s feet and gives Steve a look that says, ‘Throw it! Please! Please!’ Steve picks up the ball before scooting forward in his chair a bit so he can throw it in the water for Bo. Bo takes off after it, happily splashing through the water.

“Dr. Freeman switched my medications again last week. I’m now on three different medications for the seizures. I don’t think he’s going to find a drug concoction that works for me.”

“Steve-“

“Danny, I’ve tried I don’t even know how many medications and only one of them has done anything to reduce the frequency. None of the rest of them have done a thing for the seizures. I have a feeling one or two a week is as good as it is going to get. I mean, it is better than what I started with but still, it is going to take some miracle drug to stop the seizures.” 

“Hey, I know you are upset and frustrated with everything but Steve, Dr. Freeman said it would probably take awhile to find the right drugs that work for you. Just please don’t give up before Dr. Freeman tells you that you’re out of options.” While Danny is talking, Bo returns to Steve with his ball. Steve takes it from him and throws it again after petting his head.

Steve is about to argue but Danny cuts him off before he even starts, “Besides, you are a SEAL, whatever happened to ‘The only easy day was yesterday’? You aren’t one to give up, Steve. And if you do, well I guess I gave you more credit than you deserve.”

Steve glares at Danny but then realizes that Danny just gave him the swift kick in the ass that he needed. He smiles a bit, “Thanks, Danno.”

Danny gives him a wide smile, “You’re welcome, Babe.”

Bo comes running back and stops about three feet away from the men. They are both showered in water and sand as Bo shakes off. 

“Bo!” Steve says in an annoyed tone but he can’t help but laugh, especially when he sees the look on Danny’s face. If he had to put a name to it, Steve would call it ‘Sour Lemon Face’. 

“You’re dog is a menace, Steven. Just like you.” Danny says, but he is smiling. 

“You’re a good boy, aren’t you Bo?” Steve says as he scratches Bo behind the ears, which today are in what Steve has deemed as the Bat-dog position, sticking out to the sides. Bo twists his head and leans into Steve’s hand. 

“I’m glad you decided to keep him.” Danny runs his hand down Bo’s back. “He’s a good dog, even when he chews up my spare shoes in my office.”

Steve laughs, “Your fault for leaving them out, especially after you spilled soup on them. You’d think that a man who grew up having dogs would learn to keep things out of reach of a puppy.”

“And how many pairs of shoes have you lost to the little beast?” Danny counters.

“One slippah, a combat boot, and Mary’s purse. I try to redirect him to a toy but sometimes he sneaks away and finds something else to chew on when we aren’t looking.”

“Must have learned that from you.” Danny teases. He grabs two more beers from the cooler next to him and relaxes into the chair. Bo is sleeping by Steve’s feet and Steve is looking relaxed and content with one arm hanging over the arm rest petting Bo still.

-H50-

They all watch the fireworks together on the beach after the sun goes down before everyone heads home for the night. Steve and Catherine are watching TV together in the living room while Mary is upstairs in the shower. Bo is conked out on the floor of the living room by Steve’s feet. Playing in the water today really wore him out; he’s been asleep for the last two hours. 

Mary comes down the stairs, dressed in her pajama shorts and tank top and sits down in the recliner. “What are you watching?”

“Burn Notice marathon.” Steve replies. 

“Steve likes it because there are a lot of explosions.” Cath jokes. 

“Hey! That’s not the only reason.”

“Maybe not but it’s a big part of it.” Cath says smiling up at him. 

“So I’ve been thinking,” Mary says out of the blue. “I think I’m gonna start looking for a job and an apartment to rent. You’re doing a lot better than you were when I first came back and since Cath is here now, I’m sure you don’t want your little sister living with you, cramping your style.”

“Mary, this is your house too. You don’t have to leave because Cath is here now.” Steve says. 

Catherine nods in agreement with Steve, “I don’t want you to feel like you have to move because of me.”

Mary smiles, “I know, but I’ll be going back to school in September and I was thinking of getting a place closer to the UH campus. That way I’d be close to school and I would have my own space to study and stuff. Besides, this is your house now Steve. I haven’t felt at home here since we were kids. There are too many ghosts.”

Steve nods; he knows what his sister is saying about the ghosts. He’d felt the same way when he first came back to the island. After a few weeks of getting settled and making small changes around the house he started to feel more at home. Then when he was forced to do a little remodeling after the fiasco with Nick Taylor and General Pak he’d made more changes to make the house more suitable for his needs. He’d replaced the curtains and gotten new furniture in the living room. But aside from that, the house is pretty much the same as it was when he was sixteen.

“If you’re sure about this, Mare. But just remember that you are always welcome here anytime. And you can stay for as long as you need to in order to get a decent apartment. Don’t move into some crappy apartment just because it has the soonest availability.”

“I won’t. Thanks, Bro.” Mary smiles at him. She is glad that she came back to the island and has rekindled her relationship with her brother. She hates that it had to be under these circumstances but she’s glad she’s back in Hawaii none the less. Mary loves this house but the bad memories from her childhood in this house are more prominent than the good so she just feels haunted by all the bad things from her childhood. Mary gives Steve a quick hug before retreating upstairs to her room for the night.

“Mary seems like she is really trying hard to get her life together.” Catherine says as she cuddles closer to Steve.

“Yeah, she’s really gotten her act together. I can’t believe the girl who has been taking care of me the last couple months is the same girl who I had to bail out of jail and sign into a rehab center eight years ago. That was why she wanted to return to Hawaii, she figured out that it was easier to stay clean if she cut her ties to her old friends in LA and being 2500 miles away from her old life makes it easier to start a new one for her.”

“I’m glad you two have reconnected. You two need each other.”

“I had reservations about her returning to the island but I’m glad she’s back. It’s been nice having her around again.” 

“I’ve enjoyed spending time with her. Did I ever tell you about the first time I met Mary a few months ago?” 

Steve shakes his head, “I don’t think so.”

Cath goes on to tell the story of how she ran into Mary coming out of the bathroom several months ago after she and Steve had spent most of the night having some Barry White time.

Steve has to laugh at hearing Cath’s story. He is a little embarrassed that that was how his little sister met his girlfriend but he didn’t have to deal with the awkward situation so he can laugh about it. “I’m glad you two seem to get along now.”

Cath smiles but a yawn stops her from replying. 

“You don’t have to stay up with me.” Steve says, “You can go to bed if you want, I just would rather stay awake to take my next dose of meds instead of waking up to do it in a couple hours.” It’s eight thirty now, still a little early for bed but they were up early today and spent the entire day outside with Cath spending most of the time in the water. Steve is tired too but he would rather stay awake to take his last dose of medications for the day than wake up in two and a half hours to take them, it is easier this way.

Cath shakes her head, “If I go to sleep now, I’ll be wide awake at three.” Cath generally can’t sleep more than eight or nine hours at a time so if she goes to bed now she will either be awake for the day at three or will wake up at various times throughout the night thinking that it’s time to get up. 

They snuggle together on the couch for another episode of Burn Notice. A few minutes later they are interrupted by Bo who is now awake and lets out a bark. His bark has transformed from the high pitch puppy bark to a deeper and more intimidating bark over the last few weeks.

“You need to go out, Buddy?” Steve says to the puppy as he stands. Steve heads for the back door with Bo on his heels. He flips on the switch for the outside light and opens the door for Bo to go out. Bo just sits next to Steve and stares at him. 

“Really? You can go outside on your own Bo. You do it all the time.” Steve thinks the way he’s talking to his dog is a little ridiculous but he can’t seem to help himself. “Fine, I’ll come out with you.” Steve steps out on the lanai. Bo follows but he once again just sits down in front of Steve and barks again. 

When it appears that Steve isn’t going to move, Bo walks back to the door and whines, waiting to be let inside. He sits down in front of the door, and looks back at Steve as he lets out a whine.

“What’s wrong Bo? I don’t know what you want.” Steve says, opening the door to let Bo back inside. He follows Bo inside and heads to the kitchen for a glass of water. Bo follows him to the kitchen, Steve tries giving Bo a chew stick but Bo has absolutely no interest in it, which is odd because Bo loves chewing on the flavored sticks. He then follows Steve back to the living room and just sits and stares at him. 

“What’s up with Bo?” Cath asks. 

“I have no idea. He’s acting weird though. He didn’t want to go outside and he had no interest in a chew stick. I don’t know what he wants.” 

“That’s odd. Maybe he just wants some attention.” Cath leans forward to pet the Bo. Bo just wags his tale once and lets out a sad sounding whine.

About five minutes later Bo stands up all of a sudden and starts barking at Steve. Steve is at a loss for what Bo is trying to tell him. Steve again tries to get Bo to go outside but Bo stubbornly refuses. 

Steve is trying to get Bo to stop barking but Bo is having none of it. If anything it just increases. Mary comes down the stairs, “What the hell is going on?”

Steve just shrugs helplessly, “I don’t know what’s wrong. Bo just started acting weird all of a sudden and he won’t stop barking.”

Bo nudges Steve’s leg and lets out a distressed whine. Not even a minute later Steve feels an aura coming on. “I gotta go lie down.”

Steve quickly makes his way to the stairs with Bo, Catherine, and Mary hot on his heels. Bo has stopped barking but still lets out a whine every now and then.

“Are you sure you can make it up the stairs, Steve? Maybe you should just go to the guest room.” Cath says voice full of concern.

“I’ll be fine. I still have a few minutes.” Steve says as he grips the hand railing a little tighter. He can usually tell how long he has between the start of the aura and the start of the seizure so he knows that he has enough time to make it to his bed before his limbs start to feel numb and tingly and he can’t do more than breathe through the panic. His fingers are already starting to tingle but he’s at the top of the stairs and only has another ten feet or so to his bed. Steve makes it to his bed and collapses down on top of the covers. He can tell he still has another minute or two before the seizure starts but his legs are tingling now and he’s feeling shaky. He can’t help the panicked feeling he has right now. His breathing is quick and irregular so he tries to slow it down but he can’t quite manage. 

Cath is sitting next to him on the bed speaking soothingly, “You’re ok, Steve. Mary and I are right here and we’ll be with you the whole time. Just relax and breathe deep. You’re doing great, Babe.” Cath continues to murmur reassuring words.

Bo jumps onto the bed and sits down by Steve’s head. He licks Steve’s face a few times and lays his head down on Steve’s shoulder in comfort. Steve doesn’t normally allow Bo on the bed or other furniture but he finds comfort in the puppy’s presence at the moment. Just feeling Bo next to him does an amazing job of calming him down a bit.

About a minute later Steve’s muscles go completely rigid and his eyes roll back as the seizure starts to run its course. Cath pulls Bo away when Steve stiffens.”Come here, Buddy. Steve’s going to be fine." She doesn’t want the puppy to get hurt by the jerky uncontrolled movements. 

“Do you think this is why Bo was acting all weird and wouldn’t stop barking?” Mary says as she sits on the edge of the bed next to Cath and reaches over to pet Bo but doesn’t take her eyes off of her seizing brother. 

Realization dawns on Cath that Bo probably did sense Steve’s seizure coming. “I’ve heard of dogs being able to sense this stuff but it never occurred to me that Bo could pick up on it, especially since he’s so young.” Cath looks down at Bo who is still staring at Steve with a worried look on his face. It’s been over a minute and Steve is still seizing. “You knew this was coming, didn’t you Buddy.” Cath rubs his head, wishing there were some treats nearby for the little dog. 

Steve finally stops seizing, nearly three minutes after the seizure started. It is definitely the longest seizure he’s had since he left the hospital. Almost all of his seizures since have lasted less than two minutes. 

Bo whines and squirms until he is out of Catherine’s arms and lying curled up next to Steve chest. He licks Steve’s face a few times and nudges him with his nose a couple times before settling in against his chest. 

Mary wipes the saliva from Steve’s chin with a tissue. “You know if Bo can sense when this is going to happen, that could be huge for Steve.”

Catherine nods, “He could maybe train Bo to be a service dog. It would give Steve more confidence when he’s away from the house and let him know soon enough that he has time to get somewhere safe.”

“He hates having to leave the house. He’s terrified of having a seizure in public. I wish there was something we can do for him, but I don’t think it’s going to get better until they find the right medications to stop the seizures. I hate seeing him like this. I’ve never seen Steve like this before, he’s lost his confidence and he’s a lot quieter than he used to be. ”

“I know Mary. Steve isn’t the same. I hope Dr. Freeman gets his medications figured out soon. This epilepsy is killing Steve. Tomorrow I’ll do some research about seizure dogs and talk to Steve about it. I think having Bo as a service dog would really benefit him.”

About twenty minutes later Steve finally starts to come around. Bo is up next to him licking and nudging at him to try to help him wake up. Steve’s eyes flutter around the room and flicker closed a few times, he rolls over so he is lying completely on his back. His gaze finally settles on Bo as he tries to get through the confusion and disorientation he always feels after a seizure. 

“Steve, can you hear me?” Mary says, taking his hand.

“You’re doing great, Steve. Mary and I are right here with you. Can you squeeze Mary’s hand?” Cath combs her fingers through his hair. Steve completely ignores her words. His attention is still focused on Bo; he clumsily reaches up with his free hand and rests his hand on Bo’s back. Bo licks his face a few more times. 

“Steve, can you hear me? I need to know you are awake.” Mary prods.

A few minutes later, Steve finally squeezes Mary’s hand. He tries to talk but all he can manage is a few groans and jumbled sounds. 

“You’re ok, Steve. Just relax. You had a seizure but you are doing great. Mary and I are right here and we aren’t going anywhere.” Cath continues to run her fingers through his hair and give him a gentle kiss on the forehead. 

“You doing ok Bro?”

“Hmm. Water?” Steve finally manages to ask. 

Mary hops off the bed, “I’ll be right back with a glass.”

“How do you feel?”

“Have a headache. Feel hot.” Steve says, his speech is slow but he’s speaking clearly.

“It’s normal to have a fever for a few hours after a seizure. Let me help you sit up so you can drink some water when Mary gets back.”

Catherine helps Steve slide up a little and lean against the headboard. His movements are clumsy and uncoordinated but together they manage to get him in a seated position. Bo crawls up and lies across Steve lap. Steve hasn’t stopped petting him since he woke up. Having contact with Bo seems to calm him down and helps him get through the confusion he feels right after waking up. 

Mary is back a few seconds later, she has a glass of water and a bottle of Tylenol. Steve smiles in thanks and takes the glass with a shaky hand. Steve swallows the Tylenol and his next dose of medications. Mary and Catherine help him get stripped down to his boxers and settled in on the bed. Steve is asleep within a minute of lying down. 

-H50-

The next morning Steve wakes up with a terrible headache and still feeling exhausted. Cath convinces him to go back to sleep for a few hours and go to work after his appointments for physical therapy and with Dr. Tyson. Steve concedes with very little arguing. 

By the time Steve is done with both his appointments he is feeling a little better. His headache is down to a dull throb that he can pretty much ignore and he isn’t as tired as he was when he woke up the first time that morning. Stacy decided that he no longer needs to wear the soft collar so he is thrilled about that. For the first time in over three months he is finally free of casts and braces.

The few hours he spends at the office are quiet and he doesn’t have much to do so he researches epilepsy service dogs. Mary filled him in on what happened during his seizure and the conclusion she and Catherine came to about Bo’s weird behavior the night before. 

When Steve think back on it, Bo has always behaved a little weird before he has a seizure but he never put two and two together. Bo would get a little whiney each time right before a seizure but at the time he just figured Bo wanted more attention or another chew stick. It never occurred to him that Bo may be sensing the impending seizure. 

Steve leans back in his desk chair and looks down at the puppy who is chewing on a rubber tire toy under his desk. Bo has taken to lying under the desk at Steve’s feet during the day when Steve is working. Steve likes having Bo at work with him because Bo provides a distraction from the monotonous paper work and provides company for him when the rest of the team is out of the office.

Currently, the rest of the team is out investigating the murder of a high profile lawyer and with no information Steve can’t do anything to help at the moment. So instead of sitting at his desk bored he decides to take Bo for a walk. Steve grabs the leash from his desk drawer. “Come on Bo, let’s go for a walk.”

Bo happily drops his toy and scrambles to his feet, tail wagging excitedly. Steve hooks the leash to his collar and they head outside for a walk. Bo is better about walking on the leash now but Steve still has to work with him on pulling. He at least no long walks right under Steve’s feet or wraps the leash around Steve’s legs. Now he just pulls. They walk down the street and around the block before heading back inside. Steve gets Bo some fresh water and then pours a cup of coffee for himself before retreating back to his office.

Steve opens his laptop again and does a little more research on seizure dogs. He can see Cath and Mary’s point about having Bo trained as a service dog. He would feel a lot more comfortable going out if he knew in advance if he was going to have a seizure. He is pretty sure that last night Bo started whining and acting strange about half an hour before the aura started. Thirty minutes isn’t a lot of time but it would be enough for him to get somewhere safe and out of the public eye. 

It’s four thirty when Steve looks at the time again. His team still isn’t back yet so he sends a text to Danny asking for an update. A few minutes later Danny responds, ‘Heading in now. Caught the guy and he confessed before we even cuffed him.’

Steve texts back, ‘Good work. See you in a few min.’

Not even ten minutes later Danny enters Steve’s office. 

Steve greets him, “Hey, where are Chin and Kono?”

“They took the guy to HPD to book him and get everything in order.” Danny explains as he sits down on Steve’s couch. Bo comes over to greet him so he bends down to pet the dog. “Hey Bo, you keeping Steve out of trouble today?”

“Haha.” Steve says with a smile, “So what happened?”

“Well when we got the scene of the murder we found some bloody foot prints leading away from the crime scene. We followed them until they ran dry but we still hadn’t found the guy. After canvassing the area we found a nineteen year old kid hiding in a dumpster. Not the brightest criminal ever. Anyway, he ran and Kono took him down with a tackle that would have made you proud.”

“And he just confessed like that?” 

“Yeah, he started talking before Kono even got the cuffs out. The kid said he didn’t mean to kill J. Arthur Mills, just mug him and get his cash and watch but Mills started fighting back and in the struggle Mills fell on the knife. He was a dumb, scared kid who just ruined the rest of his life.”

Steve shakes his head, he can’t believe how dumb some people are and how easily they throw away their lives just to get some cash. 

“So what have you been up to today?” Danny asks as he plays tug with Bo.

“Not a lot, did some restocking and ordered some supplies, took Bo for a walk. Cath and Mary think Bo can sense when I’m going to have a seizure. He was acting really weird last night for like half an hour before it happened. He wouldn’t stop barking or whining, I tried letting him out and he had no interest in a chew stick or in any of his toys. He wouldn’t let me out of his sight either.”

“I’ve heard of dogs being able to sense seizures and cancers and things like that. It’s possible he knew it was coming.”

“He’s gotten whiney right before I’ve had a seizure a few times now but not like last night. When it happened in the past I just thought he wanted more attention. And one night a few weeks ago, I seized in my sleep and he started barking and woke Cath up right after it started. Mary and Cath think I should train him to be a service dog, so I was looking up information on that all afternoon.”

“That’s a really good idea, Steve. Bo could give you some of your freedom back if he can predict when you are going to have a seizure before you know you are.”

“Yeah, I’ll probably have to have someone else train him or work with him. There is a lot that goes into training a service dog.”

“I think it would be worth the time and effort. Steve, I’ve seen how much this epilepsy is affecting you and how reluctant you are to go out in public. Having a service dog would give you back your freedom and independence. He can give you a more normal life.”

Steve nods but doesn’t say anything. He’s watching Bo try to catch his tail. He wonders if Bo realizes that his tail is attached to the rest of his body. He always finds it amusing the way Bo will chase and growl at his tail. 

After a couple minutes he finally speaks up, “You wanna pick up a pizza and head to my place? Cath has a drill on base tonight so she won’t be home until eight or nine and Mary is going out with friends for supper.”

“Sounds good, Ailani’s? And no pineapple on the pizza!”

“Have you ever tried pineapple on pizza, Danno?”

“No! And I’m not about to either; fruit on pizza is an abomination.”

“You do realize that the tomatoes in the sauce are a fruit.”

Danny sputters and glares at Steve. Steve just smirks, its fun to get Danny all riled up about ham and pineapple pizza.

“You know what, Steven? Just shut up. I was going to pay but just for that, you are buying.”

Steve gives Danny a mock salute and calls Bo over so he can attach the leash. They leave the office listening to Danny rant about pineapple pizza and the awesomeness of pizza in New Jersey. 

Steve has to smile; it has been a while since he heard Danny rant like this. It makes everything feel normal again. 

TBC


	34. 34A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is part A of Chapter 34. This chapter was getting really long and I'm still not completely finished with it yet but I feel so bad for not updating that I decided to post the first half for all of you. The part B should be up within the next week. Not much has happened yet in this chapter but part B will be pivotal in Steve's recovery.

Chapter 34

It is the beginning of August now and Steve has spent the last few weeks working with a dog trainer to get Bo certified as a service dog for him. Steve has been taking him out in public with him to get him used to distractions and teach him how to behave in public places. Bo is making great progress in learning his manners, how to walk on the leash, and ignore some of the distractions that being out in public brings. He has a Service Dog in Training vest that he wears that allows him to go everywhere with Steve. 

At 5 months old, Bo is starting to look a little less like a puppy and more like an adult, although he still has a lot of growing left to do. His shoulders now come up above Steve’s knees and Steve no longer has to lift him into the cab of the pickup. 

Bo is starting to mature a little as well but every now and then he will get a little rebellious and stubborn so he doesn’t listen so well. Milo, the dog trainer, assures Steve that Bo is just getting to his “teenage” years and that he will grow out of it, Steve just needs to continue to be firm with Bo so Bo realizes that Steve is in charge and he needs to obey. 

In addition to taking Bo out in public with him, Bo has also accompanied him to some of his appointments with Dr. Tyson. Bo has been doing pretty good at those appointments although sometimes if they go on long enough he starts to get bored and will get up to sniff around the room instead of laying quietly by Steve’s feet like he is supposed to. Usually this only happens if the appointment/wait time lasts longer than an hour. Milo tells Steve that as Bo matures he will be able to sit still for longer but for now he just needs to be patient with the puppy. He suggests that for now Steve take Bo for a long walk or let him run a bit before the appointments so Bo doesn’t have quite so much energy.

Yesterday was the real test for Bo. He accompanied Steve to his dental appointment yesterday morning and did surprisingly well considering all the distractions in the office. He laid quietly next to the dental chair for the entire appointment. The only time he moved was when the doctor started drilling in the room next door. Bo lifted his head up and looked around before putting his head back down and relaxing. Steve was really impressed with Bo during the appointment; he rewarded him with a long game of fetch on the beach when they were done before heading back to the office for the rest of the afternoon. 

Right now, Steve is sitting at the smart table combing through the financials on their murder victim and their only suspect while the rest of the team is canvassing the neighborhood for information. Bo is lying under the table conked out. Steve was up early this morning so he took Bo to a dog park near his house to let him run for a while. Bo thoroughly enjoyed running around playing with the two other dogs that were there that early and is completely tired out now. 

Steve sighs and leans back in his chair. Neither their victim nor suspect has any financial indications that they were involved in any illegal activity. Their victim, James Woolridge, found dead in an empty upscale rental house on the North Shore. They have minimal evidence and Steve is pretty sure their only suspect isn’t the culprit. 

Steve can feel a headache creeping in, he has been staring at the computer screen for the last three hours and it is starting to take its toll on his still healing brain. He doesn’t get the headaches often anymore but every now and then if he doesn’t get enough sleep and spends too much time looking at a computer screen they flare up. 

Steve rubs his eyes and massages his temples for a minute before glancing at his watch. It is nearly four in the afternoon; his team should be back soon, Danny is supposed to give him a ride home since Mary has a job interview at five fifteen for a part time job as a barista in a coffee shop near the UH campus. She is starting classes at UH in a little less than a month. Catherine is stuck on base running drills until eight so Steve is stuck at the office until Danny gets back. He could call a cab but he forgot his wallet this morning so he has no cash. Danny will give him crap about that later but in Steve’s defense he almost never carried one until he came back to Hawaii less than a year ago. When he was an active duty SEAL the only form of identification he needed to carry was his dog tags. Credit cards aren’t very handy when you are fighting the Taliban. And after being in the hospital for a month and not leaving the house much for two months after that, he has gotten out of the habit of carrying a wallet again.

Steve stands and stretches, intending to go to his office for some Advil. His movement wakes Bo up. The dog sees that his master is leaving the table so Bo stands and stretches before following his human to his office. Steve holds the door open so Bo can follow him inside. When they are away from the house, Bo doesn’t let Steve out of his sight for long but that is part of him being Steve’s service dog. Steve likes having Bo follow him around everywhere, especially when there are not any other people around. It gives him a sense of security knowing Bo will let him know about a seizure before it happens. 

Steve snags a bottle of water from his mini fridge before sitting down behind his desk to grab the bottle of Advil he has in his desk drawer. He swallows two of the red-brown pills along with half the bottle of water. He sinks into his desk chair and massages his temples. His headache is getting worse and worse by the minute; Steve glances at his watch again, it has only been 5 minutes since he last looked. He hopes Danny will be back soon so he can go home. He eyes his couch for a minute before deciding that lying down and closing his eyes for a few minutes is probably the best thing he can do until either the Advil kicks in or Danny shows up. 

Bo is lying on his dog bed next to the couch, chewing on his rubber tire toy. He sits on the couch for a few minutes just petting Bo before he lies down and closes his eyes. Steve only has his eyes closed for a few minutes before Bo starts barking. He levers himself up into a sitting position. Bo is standing in front of him staring at Steve as he continues to bark. Steve glances around the office checking for anything Bo may be barking at but he knows that Bo is barking because he is about the have another seizure. 

Steve sighs; he isn’t feeling an aura yet so he knows he likely has a few minutes before it starts. “Good boy, Bo.” Steve praises and rubs the dog’s head, letting Bo know that he has acknowledged what is happening so he will stop barking. It is something they have worked on with Milo. 

 

Steve leans his head back to rest against the couch back. Bo jumps onto the couch and drapes himself over Steve’s lap. Steve pets Bo and tries to relax; this is the first time he’s been away from the house or the hospital during a seizure. It is also the first time he has been completely alone during one, well he has Bo so he isn’t completely alone but it is the first time without another person around. That realization is making him a bit unnerved. He considers calling Danny but there really isn’t anything Danny can do when he isn’t there and Mary and Catherine are both unavailable. 

He is starting to feel the aura now; his vision is starting to blur and he can feel a tingling sensation throughout his body. Steve’s panic is getting worse, he decides to text Danny to let him know what is going on, he pats his pockets with a shaky hand looking for his phone. He comes up short and realizes he left it at the smart table earlier. Bo jumps down from his spot on the couch and starts to bark again. Steve knows he needs to lie down; he only has another couple minutes at most before he loses consciousness. He glances at the couch but decides the floor is a better option. His office couch isn’t very wide and will likely just fall off during the seizure. He slides down onto his hands and knees and settles onto his left side. He can feel his panic getting worse and he is starting to lose awareness. Bo is next to him, licking his face trying to provide comfort. 

It doesn’t take long for Steve to slip into unconsciousness as the seizure starts to run its course. 

-H50-

Bo is curled up against Steve’s chest with his head resting on the unconscious man’s neck. It has been a few minutes since his master stopped shaking. He tried licking his face a few times to make him wake up but his master isn’t ready to yet. Bo knows sometimes it takes longer for his master to wake up after he stops shaking. He does not like it when his master does that but he is happy he can make him feel better. 

Bo lies there for a few minutes occasionally licking and nudging his master’s face. He hears a noise coming from the outside. His ears perk up, he identifies the sound as two humans talking. It sounds like his master’s friends who are sometimes here at this place his master calls ‘work’. Bo quickly stands and trots over to the glass door, he barks and barks until the two men notice him. 

-H50-

Danny and Chin finally get back to the office at a quarter to five. They still don’t have any new leads on their case and they are starting to agree with Steve that Victor Monahan isn’t their guy. They enter the Five-0 HQ and immediately hear BO barking from Steve’s office. Bo is standing in front of the glass door but there is no sign of Steve. 

Danny sends a quick glance to Chin before they both take off running to Steve’s office. They find Steve on the floor in front of his couch, obviously still out of it after having a seizure. Danny kneels but Steve’s side and gently shakes his shoulder, “Hey Steve, can you hear me Buddy?”

Steve doesn’t respond. “His breathing is still irregular and his pulse is fast. I don’t think it has been very long since he had it.” Chin states. Bo curls up against Steve’s chest again and gives his face a lick and a nudge with his nose like he usually does after Steve seizes.

“Do you think we should move him up to the couch?”

Danny shakes his head, “Let’s leave him here for now and see if we can get him on the couch after he comes around again.” Chin grabs a small throw pillow out of the storage cabinet in the corner of Steve’s office and carefully slides it under Steve’s head. 

“This is the first time Steve has had a seizure outside his house or the hospital and none of us were here for him.” Danny is clearly upset and feeling a little guilty that he wasn’t there to help his friend before the seizure. 

“I know it sucks brah, but it isn’t your fault. We are here for him now and that is what matters.”

Danny checks his phone. “He didn’t even call or text to let us know what was going on.”

“I think I saw his phone on the smart table when we walked in. He might not have had enough time to grab it.”

“He could have called on his office phone.” 

“You know he doesn’t always think clearly before he has a seizure. It probably didn’t occur to him. How often does he actually use his office phone anyway?” Chin rationalizes. 

Danny deflates, he wants to be mad at Steve for not letting him know he was going to seize. If he would have known he could have given the last house on his list to Kono so he could have gotten back to the office sooner. But Danny knows that it wasn’t Steve’s fault; he can’t blame him for not calling or texting. 

Steve starts to stir a little; he twitches a bit before rolling on to his back. His breathing had evened out over the last few minutes but now he was starting to take quick deep breaths. 

“Steve, can you squeeze my hand?” Danny slides his hand into Steve’s right one. Bo is nudging his chin again. Danny repeats the question a couple more times before Steve responds. He also extends his left hand toward Bo to clumsily pet him. 

“Do you think you can help Danny and I get you onto the couch, Steve?” Chin lays a hand on Steve’s shoulder.

“Hmm.” Is Steve’s response, he still hasn’t opened his eyes.

“Hey, Steve, I need you to talk to us Buddy. We need to know your back with it again. Can you open your eyes for me, Steve?” Danny gently taps his cheek in attempt to get his attention. 

Steve takes a deep breath and slowly cracks his eyes open. They wander around the room, not really focusing on anything. He isn’t completely with it yet but he is getting their slowly. Danny and Chin continue to talk to him and encourage him to wake up more. 

Finally after a few more minutes Steve finally forms a coherent single word question. “Water?”

“Look who’s finally back with us. You think you can help me and Chin get you to the couch and then I’ll give you some water?”

“Yeah, ok.” Steve says and slowly starts to sit up. Danny and Chin each grab him under an arm and haul him to his feet. Steve tries to help but Danny and Chin do most of the work. He is completely exhausted and his coordination hasn’t returned yet. 

They get him seated on the couch, Chin grabs a bottle of water from the mini fridge and unscrews the lid before handing it to Steve. Steve takes the bottle with a shaky hand and slowly takes a few sips. He leans his head back against the couch and closes his eyes. 

“How are you feeling, brah?”

“Tired, have a headache. Time ‘s it?” he cracks his eyes open again to look at his teammates.

“A little after five, we got back about twenty minutes ago. Bo let us know you were in here when we got back.”

“Hmm.” Steve’s eyes are drooping again and the water bottle is starting to tip precariously from his hand.

Danny gently snags the water from Steve’s hand before it spills. “Why don’t you lay down and sleep for an hour or two and then I’ll take you home in a while.”

Steve nods and Danny and Chin help him lie down and get his legs up. Steve lets his left hand dangle over the edge to rest on Bo’s back to draw comfort from his companion. The other two men quietly retreat from Steve’s office to the smart table to start going over details of their case. 

-H50-

 

TBC


	35. Chapter 35

Steve wakes up the next morning feeling much better than he did the night before. Danny woke him up shortly before seven last night to drive him home. By that time he was starting to feel better but was still really tired and suffering from a headache. Once he was home he took Bo outside and let him run around in the backyard for a while to burn off some energy and take care of business while he and Danny sat on the lanai eating sandwiches. Steve wasn’t very hungry but he knew he had to eat something anyway. 

Catherine got home last night around eight after a long day at the base. She and Steve were both in bed and asleep by nine thirty. Steve had woken up at eleven to take his next dose of medications but promptly fell back to sleep. 

Now, Steve is upstairs getting ready for work after having taken Bo for a long walk. Steve is about to grab a t-shirt from his dresser when his phone rings. Wondering who is calling him so early he forgets about the shirt and picks up his cell phone, “McGarrett.”

“Steve? This is Dr. Freeman, how are you doing this morning?”

“Fine, what can I do for you?” Steve asks, brow furrowed, he isn’t sure why his doctor is calling. His next appointment isn’t for another three weeks. 

“Listen, I know your next appointment isn’t for a few weeks but I’ve been doing some research on a new drug that has just gotten FDA approval and I really think it might be what you need to control the seizures. Can you come into my office sometime tomorrow so we can discuss this a little more?”

Steve is surprised by how excited his neurologist sounds. “Yeah, ok. What time?”

“I can see you around three tomorrow if that works for you?”

“Yeah that should work. Catherine has a short day at the base so she should be able to come with me.”

“Great! I’ll see you tomorrow Steve.”

“Thanks, Doc.” Steve ends the call. He is still shocked by the phone call and how excited Dr. Freeman sounded about this new drug. Steve wants to feel excited too by he is a little wary, he does not want to get his hopes up about this. 

Steve grabs a blue t-shirt and slides it on. He finishes getting ready for work before going downstairs to eat breakfast. Catherine is at the stove stirring something. There is a fresh pot of coffee that just finished percolating and two mugs sitting next to the coffeemaker. Mary must still be asleep upstairs. She was really excited about her interview last night. It sounds like it went really well. 

“Morning Sailor.” Cath greets him with a kiss as he hands her a freshly poured cup of coffee. 

“Morning Lieutenant.” Steve responds with a kiss of his own, shushing her thanks with his lips. 

“Oatmeal will be ready in a couple minutes.” 

Steve acknowledges her with a nod as he sets his own cup of coffee on the counter so he can get Bo is breakfast. The growing puppy is eagerly awaiting his morning bowl of kibble. He is turning in circles excitedly and wagging his tail a mile a minute. Meal time is his favorite part of the day. Steve and Catherine always get a kick out of how excited Bo always is when it is time to eat. 

“Bo sit.” Steve commands. He waits until Bo is sitting not so patiently for his breakfast before he sets the dog bowl down on floor. He makes Bo wait a few seconds before giving him the ok command. Once Steve says “ok” Bo is attacking his kibble with vigor. Steve watches Bo for a second before moving to the sink to wash his hands. “So I just got off the phone with Dr. Freeman.” 

Catherine is immediately alarmed, Steve told her about his seizure at the office last night “Is something wrong?” 

Steve shakes his head, grabbing two bowls from the cabinet. “No he just called to see if I could come into his office tomorrow. Apparently there is a new drug that he thinks will work.”

“That’s great.” Cath says with a big smile. “So what time are you going in tomorrow?”

“He can see me at three. You’re going to be done early tomorrow right?”

Cath nods, “Yeah I will be done about two thirty so I can pick you up at the office and we can head to the hospital after that.” Catherine has been working longer shifts all week, they have been overhauling the communication system at Pearl so they have been working late, running drills, and testing the system. Because they have been doing thirteen hour shifts her CO is giving her division a long weekend, starting at two thirty tomorrow. 

The rest of breakfast is spent in silence, the couple is completely lost in thought as they chow down on their oatmeal. Bo is sniffing around under the table, hoping that someone will drop something for him. Catherine quickly finishes her oatmeal and head upstairs to finish getting ready for work. She still needs to put her hair up and do her makeup. A few minutes later, Steve joins her in the bathroom to brush his teeth. 

By seven thirty both of them are ready to walk out the door. The only thing left to do is get Bo ready. “Come here, Bo.” Steve calls out to the puppy that is rolling around on his back trying to scratch an itch on the carpet. Bo happily trots over to his master and stands patiently as Steve fastens his Service Dog vest on and clips the leash on his collar. As soon as that is done they are out the door and getting into Steve’s pickup. When Catherine drops Steve off at the office she has to take his truck because Bo is now too big to fit on Steve’s lap in her little two seater Corvette. 

-H50-

The next day and a half pass quickly for Steve. He spends Thursday going through CCTV footage from the gated community where the rental house that their victim was found in is located. He pinpoints a couple suspicious looking people to look into more and Kono manages to get a decent enough capture of each of their faces to run through facial recognition. 

Thursday night they get a hit on one of their suspects; his team is out of the office most of the afternoon trying to track down Xander Akimu. They are still out of the office by the time Mary shows up a little after five to drive Steve home. Steve sends Danny a quick text to let him know he’s leaving and to call him if they get anything more on the case. 

Danny texts Steve a few times throughout the evening to let him know they arrested Akimu but he has lawyered up and is not talking. Based on the evidence they found in Akimu’s apartment they are pretty positive he murdered Woolridge. Danny, Chin, and Kono will be working late into the night interrogating Akimu and trying to get a wrap on the case. 

Steve hates that he can’t be there helping them but he is still on restricted duty, Dr. Freeman and the Governor made it very clear to him that he is not to work more than eight hours at a time for the time being and Catherine and Danny have made sure that rule has been enforced the entire time. Steve hates that it is that way for him but if he is honest with himself he knows he isn’t ready or able to put in longer hours at work. His head still bothers him at the end of the day more often than not and he doesn’t function well on little sleep at the moment. Dr. Freeman tells him that he needs to get at least eight hours a night for his brain to continue to heal and to help control the seizures since lack of sleep can be a trigger for him. He also told Steve that once his brain healed more he wouldn’t have to be so restrictive about hours spent at work. Traumatic brain injuries likes Steve’s can have effects that last for months or years after the initial injury. Aside from the PTE, Dr. Freeman doesn’t think Steve will any other lasting deficits. The headaches should go away in another two or three months once his brain heals more. The headaches are annoying but Steve is just glad they aren’t as severe as they were when he first woke up and that they are no longer accompanied by dizziness or nausea. 

Friday morning Steve has an appointment with Dr. Tyson right away in the morning. Mary takes him to the hospital and drops him off at the Five-0 office a little after nine. 

Dr. Tyson has cut Steve’s appointments down to just once a week unless Steve feels he needs more time with the shrink. Steve is happy that he no longer has to go in twice a week. He has grown to like Dr. Tyson and will even admit that seeing him has definitely helped him deal with everything but he will be glad when he no longer needs his services. It will mean he is getting back to his normal life. 

Steve tells Dr. Tyson about his upcoming appointment with his neurologist and how excited he sounded when he was telling Steve about the new drug. Steve expresses his reservations about it even though he knows almost nothing about whatever new drug Freeman wants to try. Steve has gotten to the point where it is very hard for him to be optimistic about finding a medication that works to completely stop the seizures. He starting to resign himself to the fact that one or two seizures a week might be as good as it gets. Granted it is a huge improvement over the two-three seizures daily he has having for a while in the hospital but it is still annoying to him the way they have completely changed and controlled his life. Dr. Tyson listens to his concerns and offers his input before basically telling Steve to stop worrying about it until he knows more about the new medication. His bluntness when it comes to certain topics is something that Steve appreciates greatly. He hates it when people patronize or coddle him when he expresses his concerns. 

Steve is back in the Five-0 offices with Bo who sat quietly next to Steve through his appointment with Dr. Tyson. Steve unconsciously kept his hand on Bo the entire time, running it up and down the pup’s back drawing comfort from the dog.

Steve is tense and jittery all day. He spends most of the day watching Danny and Chin try to get a confession out of their perp from behind the one-way mirror. After Akimu lawyered up last night they weren’t able to talk to their suspect at all until after he had spoken with his attorney. Either Akimu has a lot of money or he has friends in high places. His attorney is the top criminal defense lawyer on Oahu and they aren’t getting any useful information out of Akimu at all. 

When two o’clock rolls around Steve excuses himself from the office to take Bo for a walk before Catherine picks him up for his appointment with Dr. Freeman. Bo is excited to go for a walk and be able to play and run around outside for a bit; of course the five month old puppy gets excited about a lot of things but he loves it when his master plays with him. 

Steve grabs the retractable leash from his desk drawer and slips one of Bo’s tug toys into the pocket of his cargo pants so they can play a short game of fetch. Steve doesn’t trust Bo to be off the leash in an area that isn’t fenced; especially in an area where there is a lot of traffic so he bought a retractable leash with a long lead so Bo can at least run a little bit when they are away from the backyard. Bo does pretty good about not wondering away from the house when he is outside off leash but Steve has had to go after him a few times when his puppy brain got the better of him and he wondered off. Steve is afraid of that happening when they are in a more populated and busy area. He doesn’t want Bo to get hurt again. 

They walk around the block a couple times at a steady pace, occasionally stopping so Bo could take care of business or sniff at something. After their second time around the block Steve heads towards the open grassy area in front of the Palace so he can throw Bo’s toy for him a few times before they go back up to the office. Because Mary had to take Steve to the hospital this morning for his appointment with Dr. Tyson, Catherine drove her Corvette to the base so Steve will have to leave Bo in the office with Danny while he is gone. Bo just doesn’t fit in the little car with Steve and Catherine any more. There is just no room. 

After Steve tosses the toy for Bo a handful of times he gets a text from Cath saying she is just leave Pearl and will be there in about 10 minutes to pick him up. Steve calls Bo back over to him before proceeding to head back inside to the Five-0 office. 

“Hey, you heading out?” Danny asks as Steve and Bo enter his office. 

Steve nods, “Yeah, I’m not sure how long this will take though.”

“That’s fine. Bo can hang out with me until you get back. I won’t be going anywhere any time soon.” Danny waves a hand at his stack of paperwork he has to do for this case. “If you aren’t back by the time I am ready to leave I will swing by your house and leave Bo with Mary.”

“Thanks Danny. Here is his leash, he’s got a chew bone but there are other toys in my office. And I moved his water dish into the main office under the window.”

“Steve, you are only going to be gone for like two hours. Bo will be fine here with us.” Danny has to smile at Steve’s concern for the dog. Bo has definitely brought out Steve’s softer side more. Steve would occasionally show it with Grace but having Bo around has proven to Danny, Kono, and Chin that Steve is nothing but a giant softie under the hardened Navy SEAL exterior. 

Steve grins sheepishly. “Thanks Danny.” He gives Bo a good pat on the head before he heads downstairs to meet Catherine. Steve is just pulling up into the parking lot when he walks out the door to the Palace. 

“Hey, how was work?” Catherine greets him as he climbs into the passenger seat. 

“Same old, same old.” Steve leans over to give her a quick kiss. “How was your day?”

“Good, we still have a lot of work to do but I don’t have to be back on base until 0800 on Monday.”Cath glances at Steve as she puts the car in drive after backing out of the parking space. She can tell he is really tense. She grabs his hand and gives it a squeeze. “Relax Steve, this is just an appointment to discuss a different medication. It’s going to be fine. I have a good feeling about this. And based on what you said about your conversation with Dr. Freeman he sounds pretty good about it too. Maybe this is finally your break.”

Steve sighs. “I don’t know why I am so nervous. It isn’t like I am going in for surgery or something. I just have a pit in my stomach like it isn’t going to work.”

“You can’t write it off before you even learn anything about it, Steve. Just try to relax. We will find out soon enough anyway. Just don’t give up hope and keep an open mind about it.”

The rest of the drive is spent in silence; both are lost in their own thoughts. At ten to three Catherine pulls into a parking space in front of the Neuro Wing of Queens where Dr. Freeman has an office. Steve takes Catherine’s hand into his own as they navigate the halls of the hospital together. Steve checks in with the receptionist and is informed that it will be ‘just a few minutes’ until Freeman is ready for him. 

“Do you want me to come in with you or wait here?” Cath asks Steve as they sit together in the waiting room. 

Steve shakes his head, “Come with. You’re going to get it all out of me later anyway. And this way you can ask questions too if you think of anything.”

Five minutes later Steve is introducing his doctor to his girlfriend in his office. “This is my girlfriend Catherine, Cath this is Dr. Freeman.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Catherine. Steve talks about you quite often.”

“Likewise.” Catherine replies as she shakes the older man’s hand. 

“So I am sure you would like to cut to the chase and talk about this medication.” Freeman motions to the two chairs in front of his desk for them to take a seat as he steps around a pile of text books and journals on the floor to get to his chair behind his desk. “As I said on the phone, I have been researching a new drug that was just approved by the FDA a couple weeks ago and I really think you will benefit from it. It has proven to be very promising in cases similar to yours in the clinical trials.”

“Ok, so what makes this drug so special?”

“Well for starters, it has a different method of delivery than tradition anticonvulsant medications. Instead of taking it in pill form, it is injected subcutaneously once daily and supplemented in pill form twelve hours later. This allows for a higher concentration of the drug in your bloodstream at all times.”

“So I would have to give myself a shot every day for the rest of my life? Doesn’t sound too appealing so far, Doc.” Steve says. Needles don’t really bother him but he has never been a fan of getting shots and giving himself an injection every single day isn’t something he really wants to do.

“Yes, it is much like an insulin injection that diabetics give themselves. You would inject it into your abdomen or thigh once a day and then swallow a pill in the evening. I know it doesn’t sound that great right now but it would be less strict than your current medication schedule. And I really think if this is what works for you it is a small price to pay.”

“You said it has been promising in cases like mine. What does that mean exactly?”

“When the clinical trials were conducted there were three patients who were suffering from PTE in the trial. Two of the participants had very similar injuries to yours and all three were more or less unresponsive to traditional treatments, much like you. Two of the patients have not experienced any seizures in the year since they started taking the medications and the third only suffered a few seizures right after starting the drug.”

“So what about side effects? I don’t want to take something that is going to make me foggy.” Steve remembers one of the drugs he had taken in the beginning that had left him so fatigued and foggy that he hardly spent any time away and when he was awake he could barely form a coherent thought.

“Well all medications have some side effects. This one is no different. The most common side effects observed during the clinical trials were: nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, dizziness, high blood pressure, fatigue, and a burning sensation at the injection site. The burning sensation is common for most drugs given in subcutaneous, IM, or IV form. Some of these side effects were reported to dissipate after few weeks of taking the drug but we can manage others. Also a small percentage of participants experience heart arrhythmias and liver problems so we will have to monitor those with regular appointments but only a very small percent of participants experiences those and I really don’t think it should be a problem for you based on your previous health history.”

“Are there any other downsides?”

“There is one rather big drawback but it is only temporary. Before you can start taking this medication we have to wean you off your current meds until we have them completely out of your system. This can take a month or longer but it is very important to do so because this drug has shown to have adverse interactions with other anticonvulsant medications. The interactions can cause kidney or liver issues as well as heart problems so we have to be sure your system is clear of your other medications before we start this.”

“So you are saying that I’m going to have to completely stop my current meds and suffer through even more seizures until my blood is clear of them?”

“Unfortunately yes. I know what doesn’t sound very appealing and it is a major drawback but it would only be for the short term and if the medication works to stop your seizures I think it would be worth it.”

“And if it doesn’t work?” Steve questions.

“Then we will continue to work on finding a combination of medications until we find one that works for you.”

“But if the drug does work does that mean that Steve will be able to go back to his normal life and go back to work in full capacity?” Catherine chimes in with her question. She has been listening very carefully and gauging Steve’s reactions to all this, he doesn’t seem convinced yet but to her it sounds like it is worth a shot. 

“Yes, if the medication does work you will be able to go back to work with Five-0 in full capacity including field work and even be able to drive as well as resume all your previous activities completely independently. Of course you will still have to wait for the 6 month mark before you will be cleared for field work and driving but you will be able to do everything you were able to previously.”

“So it won’t interfere with my daily life at all?”

Dr. Freeman shakes his head, “No, most patients take their injection right away in the morning after waking up and then supplement it with the pill with their evening meal. It is best if you take it close to the same time every day but you will not have to adhere to the strict schedule like you do now. It doesn’t change the effectiveness if you are off by an hour or two. Just don’t skip taking the drug for several days at a time as you may experience more seizures.”

“So what are you thinking, Steve?” Dr. Freeman asks, folding his hands on top of his desk.

Steve mulls over everything for a moment before answering, “I guess I don’t have much to lose so it’s worth a try at least.”

Dr. Freeman smiles, “Great! If you want we can start the process today and hopefully by the middle of September we will be able to start the medication.”

Steve agrees and a few minutes later he is sitting in an exam room as Dr. Freeman takes a baseline blood sample, records his vitals, and does a quick exam before explaining how they will reduce his meds until they are out of his system and what Steve can expect through the process. 

It is shortly after five when he and Catherine finally leave the hospital. Steve sends a quick text to Danny asking if he is still at the office as they make their way through the halls towards the exit. 

“I have a really good feeling about this Steve. I’m glad you decided to try it out.”

“It does sound promising.” He agrees. “But I’m not going to get my hopes up.” Cath is about to protest but he cuts her off. “I’m not giving up Catherine, I’m really not. But after so many failed medications I have a hard time believing this is going to be any different. I want it to work but I also don’t want to get too hopeful and then have a huge let down when it doesn’t work.”

Catherine nods in understanding as they reach her car before either of them get in she turns to him and says, “I know Steve, and I understand where you are coming from. I just don’t want you to give up. I have a really good feeling about this. I know it is going to be hard for you once they start lowering your current medications to the point where they aren’t as effective anymore but I really think it will be worth it in the long run. I’m here for you now matter what. Same goes for Mary and your team. We will all be with you every step of the way.”

Steve smiles at her heartfelt speech. He is so glad she is back in his life again. Steve pulls her in for a hug and a quick kiss. Neither of them are much for PDA but every now and then Steve is willing to break their rule when he can’t express his feelings with words. Sometimes it is easier to just show how he feels through actions. “Thank you.” He says quietly as he pulls away. 

“You’re welcome.” Catherine gives him another quick peck before she moves towards the driver’s side of the vehicle. “Now what do you say we stop at Whole Foods on the way home and pick up a few steaks and invite your team over for supper?”

“Sounds good to me.” Steve pulls out his phone to text Danny that he and Bo should meet them at the house for supper before he sends text messages to Chin and Kono to invite them over as well.

-H50-

After a quick stop at the grocery store to get some steaks, fresh shrimp, and vegetables to grill they arrive back at Steve’s house just after six. His team is already there by the time he and Cath get back. With everyone’s help it does not take long to get everything on the grill. Less than an hour later they are seated around the table on the lanai enjoying their food.

They spend the evening laughing and drinking beers on the beach. Mary announces that she got the job as a barista near campus and that tomorrow she was going to look for an apartment. Steve explained to everyone the new plan for his medications and that he would likely be taking some more time off work the closer he got to stopping his current meds and starting the new one; especially if he ends up having multiple seizures a day like he did when he was in the hospital. 

It is nearly eleven by the time everyone leaves. Steve is exhausted when he and Catherine finally crawl into bed a few minutes after midnight. Steve is annoyed that he is so tired, he hasn’t been this tired for a few weeks now, it isn’t like he really did anything strenuous today but he didn’t sleep well last night so it is probably just catching up to him. Bo is already conked out on his dog bed. He managed to get in more than a few games of fetch from Steve and the rest of the ohana tonight so he is exhausted too. 

Steve spoons up against Catherine and wraps his arms around her. After spending the evening with his family he is feeling better about everything a slightly less nervous about the weeks to come as he cuts down on his meds. He just hopes everything goes according to plan.

“Stop thinking so loud and go to sleep, Babe.” Catherine mumbles as she snuggles into his arm more. 

Steve smiles and gives her a kiss on the shoulder before relaxing and settling in. It doesn’t take him more than a minute or two to drift off to sleep. 

TBC


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 35

Three weeks later, Steve wakes up with a killer headache. He feels pretty much the same as he did after the seizure he had during his first session with Dr. Tyson in the hospital. By now he is completely off two of the drugs and is only taking a minimal dose of the carbamazapine and has been having seizures almost every day for the last week or so. But in the last 36 hours he has had three. The first one was two nights ago and it lasted about three minutes the second was yesterday after lunch and it last two and a half minutes and the last one happened in his sleep last night around midnight. Bo woke Cath up just before it started and it too lasted three minutes. 

He is pretty much having seizures at the same frequency now as he was when he was in the hospital before they got his meds figured out. He stopped going into the office a few days ago. He was going in at least for the morning until last week but now he doesn’t feel comfortable being at work knowing he could have a seizure at any minute, especially when his team is out of the office. 

Today is Saturday so Catherine is home with him. Mary has started her job at the coffee shop and also just finished her first week of classes at UH so she isn’t home as much anymore. Most of her classes are in the evenings and she works three mornings a week at the coffee shop so between her and Catherine Steve usually isn’t home alone for more than a couple hours at a time. Something that would normally annoy him but with the frequency and severity of some of his seizures he hates being completely alone all the time. He feels more secure when there is someone else with him; especially since now he is more at risk for status epilepticus. 

Steve rolls over and glances at the alarm clock. It is a little after seven, Cath isn’t in bed next to him anymore and Bo isn’t laying on his dog bed so he figures she must have taken him out for his morning walk before giving him his breakfast. 

Steve wants nothing more than to go back to sleep but his stomach is churning with nausea. He is pretty sure he is going to be sick so he rolls out of bed as quickly as he can; he has to stop and sit on the edge for a moment while his head stops spinning before he can make his dash to the bathroom. He makes it just in time to lose the meager contents of his stomach in the toilet bowl. Steve heaves for a few minutes before sinking back so he is leaning against the wall with his knees drawn up to his chest. He rests his head back and closes his eyes. He feels absolutely miserable; his head is pounding in time with his heart and his stomach is still churning despite having nothing left in it. He wants to get up and go back to bed but he can’t find the strength to move from his spot on the floor. 

He isn’t sure how long he sits like that before he hears Catherine calling his name. “Steve?” her voice is filled with concern. “Are you ok, Steve?”

Steve turns his head slightly and squints at her, the light is making his head hurt even more. He hadn’t noticed that she was kneeling next to him. Bo is standing behind her looking worried. 

“What’s wrong, Babe? You look awful.”

“Migraine.” Steve mutters, his eyes are tightly closed again. The nausea is still threatening to overwhelm him but he is sure there isn’t anything left in his stomach to expel. He didn’t eat much after his afternoon seizure yesterday. 

“Did you take anything for it?” Catherine questions as she gently rubs his shoulder. 

Steve shakes his head ever so slightly. “Won’t stay down, already hurled once. Don’t want to do it again.”  
She drops her hand down so she is grasping his wrist. “Come on; let’s get you back to bed. You will feel better lying down.”

Steve doesn’t object when she gently tugs his arm and helps him into a standing position. Catherine guides him to the bed and as soon as he is lying down flat she quickly pulls the curtains closed so there isn’t as much light in the room. “Are you sure you don’t want to try to take something for the migraine? I know you still have some Vicodin in the medicine cabinet.”

“Not yet, maybe in a few minutes.” He mumbles into his pillow. He is lying on his stomach, Cath is sitting next to him and gently massaging his back and shoulders. 

Bo sits next to the bed staring at Steve. The dog knows there is something wrong but he doesn’t know what. He isn’t sensing a seizure coming so he knows it isn’t that but he can’t figure out what his wrong with his human. Bo nudges Steve’s shoulder with his nose and gives it a couple licks. Steve blindly reaches over and gives him a couple pats on the head. Catherine’s gentle touch is doing wonders to help him relax. It might all be in his head but he thinks it is maybe helping with his headache too. 

It takes another fifteen minutes before Steve’s stomach finally settles enough that he thinks he will be able to keep down a couple pain pills. His head is still pounding unbearably but he is happy the nausea is finally gone. He rolls over and is surprised to see the bottle of Vicodin and a glass of water on his night stand. He hadn’t even noticed Catherine leaving and coming back a few minutes ago, he must have drifted off for a couple minutes. Gingerly he props himself up on one elbow and reaches for the bottle of pills, he shakes two into his hand before swallowing them down with a few sips of water. 

“Feeling better?” Cath questions, she has one hand on his hip and the other is petting Bo. 

Steve shrugs, “The nausea is mostly gone but my head is killing me.” He sinks back into his pillow and throws his arm over his eyes. Even the little bit of light coming through the curtains is sending daggers of pain through his head.

“Go back to sleep, Steve. I’m going to take care of some stuff downstairs.” She squeezes his hand and leans over to give him a gentle kiss before retreating out of the room. She leaves the door open a crack incase Bo wants to leave but she is pretty sure he will stay by Steve’s side until he is feeling better. Bo is loyal like that. 

Steve is already half asleep when she leaves. Bo rests his head on the side of the bed, he nudges Steve’s hand again and gives it a lick. He is still worried about his human. Steve pats the bed next to him a couple times in invitation to Bo to get on the bed. Steve doesn’t let Bo on the bed or other furniture very often but he makes exceptions on occasion, usually when he isn’t feeling well. And amazingly, Bo always waits for an invitation before jumping on furniture with the exception of when Steve is seizing. He tried to get away with it a few times after he learned to jump up but Steve broke him of that habit pretty quickly. Bo never ceases to amaze Steve by picking up on his moods and making him feel better. Bo jumps up on the bed and makes himself comfortable so he is pressing up against Steve’s side with his head resting on Steve’s shoulder. It only takes a minute or two for the pair to fall asleep. 

-H50-

Steve wakes up again six hours later. He is feeling much better than he was when he first woke up. The headache is still there but down to a mild ache that he can pretty much ignore. He’s not at a hundred percent yet but he is much improved from this morning. After a seizure it usually takes a couple days before Steve feels completely normal again. His brain takes a while to reboot after a seizure so depending on how long and how many seizures he has it takes at least two days for him to operate at a hundred percent again. Due to him being weaned off his meds he hasn’t felt normal in about a two weeks since about the time his brain is completely caught up again he has another seizure.

Steve rolls over onto his back and stretches. He is surprised when his hand bumps against Bo’s furry form sprawled on the bed next to him. He remembers inviting Bo up onto the bed right before he fell asleep but he is a little surprised that Bo is still here with him. He thought the pup would have gotten bored and gone to find a toy to chew on or gone to see what was happening in the rest of the house. Steve is always surprised by how mellow Bo is. Everything he read about German Shepherds prior to bringing Bo home was that they tend to be hyper as puppies and need to be kept busy to prevent them from tearing apart the house. While Bo does have a lot of energy and likes to run, play, and swim, he is also more than content to just lie around the house or office if Steve isn’t feeling well.

Bo rolls over for a belly rub, wagging his tail when Steve complies. Human and dog lie there contently for a few minutes contemplating life before Steve slowly sits up and rolls out of bed, “What do you think, Bo? Should we go find Catherine and then maybe play a game of fetch?”

Bo is off the bed before Steve even finishes speaking. Steve has to laugh at the dogs excitement. He quickly changes into a pair of black boardies and a gray t-shirt. He makes a detour to the bathroom to relieve himself, brush his teeth, and splash some water on his face before he wanders downstairs. He is surprised that the living room and kitchen are completely empty. He makes a stop at the fridge to find something to eat. Now that he isn’t sick to his stomach anymore, he actually feels hungry after not having eaten in almost 24 hours. Catherine apparently made beef sandwich spread with last night’s leftover roast beef; he throws together a sandwich quick before snagging a bottle of water from the fridge and his sunglasses from the counter and heading out to the lanai. Bo has been waiting semi patiently by the door to go outside. 

“Bo sit.” Steve says as he puts his hand on the door knob. He waits for the excited dog to sit down before he pulls the door open and lets Bo run outside. Steve is surprised to hear Grace giggle on the lanai when Bo runs over to her and licks her face in greeting. Catherine is sitting on the ground cross legged in front of Grace, who has her knees bent and her feet resting flat on the ground in front of her as Catherine paints her toes with sparkly purple nail polish. 

“Hey Gracie! What are you doing here?” Steve greets his ‘niece’ as he pulls a chair out from the table and takes a seat. 

“Danno had to go to work so Aunt Catherine said I could stay here today. Are you feeling better Uncle Steve? Catherine said you were sleeping because you were sick this morning.”

“Yeah, Gracie, I feel a lot better now. I just needed some sleep.” He replies around a mouthful of sandwich.

“Was it because of the epilepsy?” Grace asks curiously, “Danno said you were going to try a new medicine for it but first you had to stop the old stuff and you were going to have a lot of seizures again before you can start the new one. I hope the new medicine works.”

“Yeah, Gracie. I wasn’t feeling well because I had a couple seizures earlier and I needed lots of sleep to make me feel better. I hope it works too. Hopefully in a couple weeks I can start the new medication and we will know for sure if it will work or not.” Steve changes the subject before taking a sip of water, “So what have you and Catherine been up to today?” 

Steve watches Bo run around in the grass as he listens to Grace and Catherine chatter about what they have done so far today and what their plans are for the rest of the day. He is glad to have them as a distraction from his thoughts today. 

Catherine checks to see if Grace’s toes are dry before speaking, “Gracie, why don’t you run inside and change into your swimming suit and we can go paddle boarding?” Once Grace is inside and out of earshot, Catherine stands and wraps her arms around Steve from behind and plants a kiss on his cheek. “How are you feeling?”

“A lot better actually, the headache is almost gone. Still not a hundred percent but much better than before.” He leans back into her touch and twists his head back to capture a kiss. “Hopefully after the last few days, I’ll be ok for a few days.” 

“So what are your plans for the afternoon? Grace and I are going to spend some time paddle boarding.”

“I figured I’d let Bo play in the water and run around for a while since he spent all morning sleeping on the bed with me. And then I thought maybe I would spend some time working on the Marquis.” Since Steve hasn’t been going into the office for the last few days, he has spent a lot of his time, when he’s been feeling up to it, in the garage working on the Marquis and doing some small home improvement projects. He still hasn’t fix everything that was ruined when Nick Taylor and his goons attacked the house during the General Pak fiasco. 

Steve spends a few minutes working with Bo on obedience training before he takes him down to the water to play fetch. Bo is really coming along with his training. He isn’t perfect yet being a puppy still but more often than not he does what Steve asks of him without too much trouble. Sometimes he doesn’t always listen when Steve is calling him if he is sniffing something or if he is on the trail of something interesting to him. But for the most part he is pretty good at listening, and most importantly, he hasn’t failed to alert Steve of any impending seizures. 

-H50-

The weekend passes seizure free for Steve, which makes them all extremely happy. Grace ended up spending Saturday night with Steve and Catherine because Danny couldn’t get away from the case. By Sunday afternoon, they had their suspect under arrest and Chin and Danny managed to get a confession out of him after a couple hours in the interrogation room.

Monday morning Steve takes his last dose of carbamazapine, something that excites him and terrifies him at the same time. He has to wait at least another 7 days before he can have another blood test done to see if it is completely out of his system and start the medication that he will have to inject into his abdomen every day. 

Mary is home with him all day today after working the weekend at the coffee house. Steve spends most of the day in the garage working on the Marquis. The car still has a long way to go before it is ready to run and he still needs to find a few parts for it, but at least he has something to keep him occupied since he isn’t working at the moment. 

The week passes slowly for Steve. He hates not being able to work but when he is having seizures almost every day being in the office is not convenient. Especially when he is out of it and it takes him so long to recover afterwards. The couple that he did have in the office, Danny and Chin practically had to carry him to the car and into the house when they were over. 

Thursday morning Steve has an appointment with Dr. Tyson. He has been seeing Dr. Tyson once every other week for the last month or so; of course Steve can call him anytime if he feels he needs to talk between scheduled appointments. So far that hasn’t happened yet. His appointment is at 8 so Cath drops him and Bo off at the hospital on her way to work that morning. Danny or one of the cousins will pick him up when he is done. 

“How are things going, Steve?” Dr. Tyson greets him upon entering the office. Steve takes his usual spot in the arm chair by the window and orders Bo to lie down next to him. 

“Alright I guess.” Steve shrugs “I haven’t been into the office in a week and a half because I’m having seizures almost every day. Being at home all the time is driving me crazy.”

“You have what, another week before you get to try the new drug?”

“I go in Monday for another blood test. If its clear then I’ll be able to try it on Tuesday morning.”

“Are you still having reservations about trying this new medication?”

Steve shrugs and picks at an imaginary spot on his jeans. “I don’t know. I really want it to work but at the same time I don’t want to deal with the let down when it doesn’t. I’m just trying to be real.”

“What do your friends say about it?”

“They are all convinced it will work. Catherine tells me that every time I have another seizure. ‘Just a little longer and this will all be over.’ She says.” Steve mocks her voice. His temper starts to flare up as he continues, “She doesn’t know that. Dr. Freeman is pretty confident the drug will work but he says there is still a chance that it won’t and that we should be prepared for that just incase. I feel like I’m the only one who is prepared for that.” At Steve’s outburst, Bo sits up and licks Steve’s hand that is slightly hanging over the edge of the armrest. He doesn’t like it when his human is distressed. Steve pets Bo as he tries to calm down a little bit.

“I understand your frustration, Steve. But I think you need to relax a little. Maybe Catherine and your friends are prepared for the scenario that the drug doesn’t work but are putting on a positive front for you since they know you have reservations about it.”

“I just wish they would acknowledge it. I hate how everyone treats me differently now. Like I need to be handled with kid gloves. Everyone with the exception of Cath goes out of their way to avoid mention the epilepsy. Like its a topic to be avoid at all costs. Its annoying. I’m not going to snap if it is mentioned or they asks questions about it.”

“Have you talked to them about it?”

Steve shakes his head, “No. Well not anyone but Catherine anyway.”

“You should talk to them about it, Steve. Let them know that tiptoeing around it bothers you. Maybe sit down with them and have a frank discussion about it. Have you done that at all?”

“Not since it was first diagnosed. I told them about it but I guess I haven’t really had an in-depth discussion about it with anyone but my sister, Danny, Grace, and Catherine. I told Chin and Kono about it the same day I got the official diagnosis but I was exhausted and pretty doped up on painkillers and muscle relaxants so I don’t really remember our conversation about it. I think Danny filled them in on the finer details but I don’t really know. They didn’t ask questions and at that point I wasn’t ready to deal with it.”

Dr. Tyson nods and reiterates, “You should talk to them about it, Steve.”

Steve just shrugs non-committally. He knows Dr. Tyson is right but he really doesn’t want to have that awkward conversation. And if the new drug works like everyone says it will then he won’t have to have that conversation with his team.

“Think about it at least.” At Steve’s nod he continues, “I think that is enough for today, Steve. Unless there is something else you want to talk about?”

“No, I think we covered it all.”

“Alright then. Let me know how the new drug works out before your next appointment in two weeks. Don’t be afraid to call if you need to.”

“I’ll let you know, if I get to start it next week anyway.” Steve grabs Bo’s leash from where he had it tucked under his thigh and tousles the dog’s ears. “C’mon Bo, lets go home.” Steve stands to leave. “Thanks Doc.” he says on his way out the door. 

 

TBC


	37. Chapter 37

Steve spends his time away from work in the garage working on the Marquis, looking for car parts on the internet, and taking Bo for long walks around the neighborhood a few times a day. He hasn’t gotten the go ahead to do anything more strenuous than walking and he is starting to feel really lazy and out of shape. Not to mention the inactivity is starting to drive him crazy. He tried running once a few weeks ago, against doctor’s orders of course, he made it a block and a half before his head was pounding so bad he had to stop and sit on the kerb for a few minutes before grudgingly turning around and walking back to the house. He spent the rest of day on  the couch with a cold washcloth over his eyes trying to ignore the pounding behind his eyes. Ever since then, he hasn’t done anything more than a brisk walk with Bo. Dr. Freeman assures him that in a few more weeks he will be able to slowly start easing back into his exercise routine but it will take time for his brain to fully heal after the traumatic brain injury. 

 

Right now, Steve and Bo are on one of their walks around the neighborhood. Steve doesn’t like straying to far from the house because he really does not want to have a seizure on the sidewalk in front of one of his neighbors houses. Bo usually warns Steve about twenty to thirty minutes before Steve starts feeling the effects of the seizure so that gives him enough time to get back to the house from around the block. If it weren’t for Bo, Steve wouldn’t be leaving the house at all unless absolutely necessary right now. Steve knows that if the new drug doesn’t work he will have to start facing the rest of the world and try to resume a somewhat normal life with epilepsy but at the moment he isn’t ready to take that leap yet. 

 

They are about half way back to the house when Bo stops walking, sits down next to Steve and barks at him a couples times before nudging Steve’s hand with his nose. Steve knows this is Bo telling him they need to get back to the house ASAP because a seizure is coming. Steve pets Bo on the head, tells him good boy, and resumes the walk back to the house, walking at a faster pace than normal. Steve knows he has about twenty to thirty minutes before the seizure starts but he would still rather get back as soon as he can to lower the chance of him dropping in his, or someone else’s, front yard. 

 

They make it back to the house in less than ten minutes. Steve is in the kitchen getting a glass of water when he starts to feel the aura. He takes a couple small sips before setting the glass down and heading upstairs with Bo on his heels. He is hoping to make it to the bathroom and then crash on his bed before the seizure starts. Halfway up the stairs, Steve is sure that he won’t make it to bedroom, let alone the bathroom first. 

 

This feels different from his normal pre seizure auras. This whole thing feels different actually. He it has barely been more than 10 minutes since Bo warned him and he hasn’t even been feeling the aura for a full minute. Usually he has at least 20 minutes from the time Bo warns him until the seizure starts and his auras generally last anywhere between 3-5 minutes before the seizure starts. 

Steve manages to drag him self up the remainder of the stairs and makes two steps into his bedroom door before he falls over. Pain shoots up his left arm as he attempts to break his fall. He hears someone come in from the garage, he thinks it might be Catherine but he isn’t sure. His brain isn’t working right. He tries to call out for help but he barely manages a whisper, his tongue won’t coordinate with his lips to form the word properly. He registers Bo barking and the sound of paws on the wood stairs just before his eyes roll back and his muscle stiffen up. 

 

-H50-

 

Catherine pulls into the driveway after a long day at the base. Today was one of those days where anything that could go wrong did go wrong. She can’t wait to take a shower and curl up with Steve on the couch with a glass of wine and some cheesy movie. ‘ _Maybe I’ll make him watch The Notebook again.”_ she thinks to herself with a smile. 

 

She heads for the garage knowing he is likely in there working on the Marquis like he has been for the last few days since he can’t work right now. Cath enters the garage and finds the car with the hood propped open but no Steve. As she moves closer to the door leading into the house she hears Bo’s deep barking. 

 

Catherine feels her stomach drop as she hurries inside. She knows Bo’s barking likely means that Steve is either about to have a seizure or is already having one. Cath rushes through the kitchen and heads into the living room. She finds Bo scurrying down the stairs barking. Bo runs toward her continuing to bark. 

 

“What’s wrong, Bo? Where’s Steve?” She asks the growing puppy. Bo whines and runs back up the stairs, stopping at the first landing to make sure Catherine is following him. Once sure Cath is right behind him he continues up the stairs and into the bedroom. Catherine is on his heels. What she sees almost makes her heart stop. Steve is lying prone on the floor of their bedroom with his face turned to his right so his left cheek is pressed into the carpet, his left arm is trapped under his stomach and his right is curled tightly against his shoulder. His muscles are completely tensed up and his jaw is clenched so tightly she is afraid he might break a tooth. He hasn’t started convulsing yet so she knows he is still in the tonic stage of the seizure so he hasn't been like this for very long, a few seconds at most. 

 

Once Catherine gets over her initial shock she drops to her knees next to her boyfriend and quickly rolls him on his left side. Cath quickly gets up to grab a pillow off the bed and shove it under Steve’s head before he starts convulsing; she also positions herself between Steve and the dresser to prevent him from hurting himself on it during the seizure. Another 5 seconds pass before Steve’s muscles start contracting and relaxing in the clonic phase of the seizure. 

 

Cath sits back on her heels and runs her hand down Bo’s back, she isn’t sure if it is more to comfort the puppy or herself. They are both looking at Steve in concern, knowing there isn’t anything that can be done for him until the convulsions stop. Bo lets out a whine every so often. He still gets upset when he sees his master in this condition. 

 

Catherine keeps one eye on Steve and the other on her watch timing the seizure. She watches helplessly as her boyfriend convulses in front of her. Steve is still seizing violently and he is showing no signs of stopping soon. His lips are blue, blood running down his face from biting either his tongue or inner cheek, and there is a growing wet spot on the front of his cargo pants as he loses control of his bladder. He has been seizing for almost four minutes now. She is really starting to worry, none of his seizures in the last few weeks have lasted for more than three minutes. At four and a half minutes Catherine starts to get out her cell phone to dial 911. She waits another fifteen seconds before she dials 911.

 

She waits impatiently for the 911 operator to answer her call. It seems like a lifetime before Catherine finally hears “ _911, what’s your emergency?”_ on the other end of the line. 

 

“I need an ambulance at 2727 Pi’ikoi Street. My boyfriend has epilepsy and has been seizing for over five minutes now.” Catherine says in a panic. It isn’t like her to panic in situations like this, but then she has never seen her boyfriend seize for 5 minutes straight either. 

 

“ _Ma’am, I need you to calm down. How long exactly has your boyfriend been seizing?”_

 

Cath checks her watch, “5 minutes and 16 seconds. It’s a tonic-clonic seizure. He has post traumatic epilepsy.”

 

“ _An ambulance is on the way ma’am. It should be there in about 2 minutes.”_

 

_“_ Thank you.” Cath says with a sigh of relief. She is glad Steve’s house is relatively close to the hospital. A minute later she hears the sirens approaching. She makes a dash for the front door to unlock it so the EMT’s can get in, as soon as she unlocks the door she is back at Steve’s side. He is still seizing; it has been 6 minutes and 8 seconds. Catherine is terrified. She knows how dangerous status epilepticus can be. 

 

The sirens are really loud now, like they are right outside. She soon hears the EMTs bang on the door and call out their arrival. 

 

“Up here! Come in! We’re upstairs!” She yells as loud as she can. Before she knows it she is being pushed aside by the EMTs. They start talking rapidly to each other, getting Steve’s vitals and asking Cath questions about how long Steve has been seizing and what medications he is taking.

 

She explains to them that Steve hasn’t been on medications for a few weeks because they are cleansing his system for a new anti-convulsant drug. She also informs the EMTs that Steve is under the care of Dr. Freeman at Queens for his PTE. One of them says they will radio that into the ER so Dr. Freeman can meet them in the ER if possible. They EMT who’s name tag says Priestly holds Steve’s head while the other EMT holds a needle-less syringe and slowly drips a solution into Steve’s mouth between his teeth and cheek. The process takes about 20 seconds and Cath can see some of the liquid dripping down Steve’s chin. Cath assumes it is diazepam or some other fast acting muscle relaxant/anti-convulsant but she isn’t sure, she doesn’t have time to ask questions. 

 

The EMT’s work quickly to get Steve on the gurney and strap him down as much as they can to get him into the ambulance and to the hospital. Catherine climbs in the back of the waiting ambulance immediately after Steve is loaded up. About 30 seconds into the ride Steve’s convulsions slowly start to ebb off and he goes completely still. His breathing is ragged, even through the oxygen mask they have strapped over his nose and mouth. He sounds like he is struggling to breathe, letting out loud snores and snorts as his oxygen starved lungs try to catchup. 

 

To Catherine, the 6 minute ride to the hospital seems to take forever; but she is glad that the traffic isn’t too heavy for a Friday night. They are just coming to a stop in front of the ambulance bay when Steve’s body tenses up again, he starts making a keening noise and then he starts convulsing again. 

 

Catherine is once again pushed to the side as the EMTs quickly fill the waiting ER nurses and doctors in on Steve’s condition. She is relieved to see that Dr. Freeman is one of the doctors waiting to treat Steve. 

 

“Steve McGarrett, 34 year old male in status epilepticus. First seizure lasted eight and a half minutes, second started 34 seconds ago. Administered 10mg IM midazolam upon arrival at the scene.” Catherine doesn’t catch the rest of what the EMT says as they wheel Steve away into the ER. She is left standing alone in the ER waiting room. 

 

Catherine takes a few deep breaths trying to calm down a little and pulls out her cell phone, debating who to call first. It is almost 6pm; she knows Mary has a class tonight that goes from 5-7 so Mary wont answer her phone. She opts to call Danny first and then call Mary either after she knows what is going on with Steve or when her class lets out, whichever comes first. 

 

_“Williams.”_ Danny answers her call on the first ring. 

 

“Danny, it’s Catherine. I just had to call an ambulance for Steve. He was seizing for over 5 minutes. By the time it was over he’d been seizing for over 8 minutes and then less than 5 minutes later he started seizing again. He was still seizing when they took him back.” It all comes out in one breath. She thinks she probably would have kept rambling if she hadn’t needed to stop to breathe. 

 

“ _Catherine, calm down. They took him to Queens right?”_ Cath gives an affirmative answer before he speaks again, _“I’ll be there in 10 minutes._ ”

 

“Can you let Chin and Kono know? I’m waiting to call Mary until after she gets out of class.”

 

_“I’m with them now, we are all coming to the hospital together. Just hang tight and we will be there soon to wait with you.”_

 

_“_ Thanks, Danny.” Cath replies before disconnecting the call. She sinks down into the nearest chair and keeps her eyes glued to the doors that lead back to the treatment area. Catherine tries to keep her mind away from the worst case scenarios but she knows this episode could very well kill Steve or cause permanent damage if they don’t get the seizures under control soon. She also dreads what this means for him in terms of the new medication. If he will still be able to try it out next week or if now he will have to wait even longer, or if he can even try it all if going without any anticonvulsants will cause further problems. 

 

She is brought out of her thoughts by the remaining members of the Five-0 team rushing towards her. Catherine stands and Kono pulls her into a hug and says, “Hey Catherine. Any word on Steve?” 

 

She shakes her head, “No, we got here about 15 minutes ago. Dr. Freeman was waiting in the ER for us after the EMTs radioed it in.”

 

“What happened?” Danny asks. 

 

“I’d just gotten home from work and detoured through the garage since that is where Steve spends most of his time now. He wasn’t in there but I could hear Bo barking. I found Steve on the floor of our bedroom upstairs. He was still in the tonic phase of the seizure when I found him, the convulsions started a few seconds late. I called for an ambulance right before 5 minute mark, he was still seizing when the medics got there. They gave him a shot of something and loaded him up in the ambulance. The seizure stopped after eight and half minutes but then another one started just as we pulled up to the hospital. He was still seizing when they took him back. That was 15 minutes ago and I haven’t heard anything since.”

 

“He’ll be ok.” Chin reassures them, “He’s strong and he’s dealt with much worse than this before.” 

 

“I hope so.” Cath says and drops into the uncomfortable hospital waiting room chair. The waiting room is surprisingly quiet and empty for a saturday night. There are only 3 other people sitting in the waiting room and none of them appear to be sick or injured. Catherine guesses that they are family members waiting to hear about their loved one’s condition. 

 

7 o’clock rolls around and they still haven’t heard anything from Dr. Freeman so Catherine pulls out her cell phone to call Mary. The call goes straight to voicemail. Cath tries to keep her voice as even as possible as she leaves a message for her boyfriends sister. “Hey Mary, it’s Catherine, give me a call back as soon as you get this.” 

 

Catherine and Danny have both tried to get information on Steve’s condition from the nurses desk but they both get the same answer that the doctor will come speak with them as soon as he can. They sit together in silent worry until the ringing of Catherine’s phone breaks the near silence of the waiting room. A quick check of the display shows that Mary is calling back. 

 

“Hey, Mary.” Catherine answers. 

 

_“Catherine, what’s up? Is something wrong? Did something happen to Steve?”_

 

Cath can hear the worry and panic in Mary’s voice. She can’t really blame her, she doesn’t call Mary very often. “Steve had a seizure that lasted longer than 5 minutes. I had to call an ambulance. We are at the hospital now but haven’t heard anything on his condition since he was brought in.” Cath explains what’s going on as calmly as she can. 

 

_“Oh God. Ok, I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’m just leaving campus now.”_

 

“Ok, I’ll call you if we hear anything before you get here. Drive safe.” Catherine says before disconnecting the call. 

 

Mary arrives twenty minutes later, “Any news on Steve?” She asks as she rushes towards the group in the waiting room. 

 

“Still nothing. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer. It has already been almost 2 hours since Steve was brought in.” Danny says and stands to pull Mary into a hug, trying to calm her down a little. He knows she is worried sick and on the edge of hysteria, and while she has every right to be, she won’t do Steve any good by losing it. Danny knows that she doesn’t handle stressful situations very well. “He’ll be ok.” Mary nods into his shoulder, takes and shuddering breath, and tries to pull herself together a bit before she pulls back and sits down on the other side of Catherine to join the wait for news on her brother.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 36**

 

It is 9:30 before Dr. Freeman emerges from the automatic doors that separate the ER from the waiting room. He spots the group waiting for Steve McGarrett almost immediately and makes his way over to them. He is very familiar with all of the extended McGarrett ohana. He had countless encounters with the Five-0 team and Mary McGarrett during Steve’s extended hospital stay earlier in the year and Catherine Rollins has joined Steve at nearly every neuro appointment he has had since June. 

 

“Hows Steve?” Catherine jumps to her feet as soon as she spots him.

 

“Let’s have a seat and I’ll fill you in on Steve’s condition.” Dr. Freeman pulls a chair closer and sits down, he waits for everyone else to follow suit before continuing. “First of all, we stopped the seizure and Steve is stable right now. He presented with what we call Status Epilepticus. I know we have talked about this before and I gave you all some literature to read when Steve was first diagnosed with PTE, but I’ll explain it anyway to make it easier to understand what happened. Essentially, SE is a seizure that either lasts for longer than 5 minutes or seizures that occur close together without a recovery period in between. Steve had two seizures in rapid succession, the first, I’m told, lasted just over 8 minutes and the second started 3 minutes later. Normally, we treat SE first with doses of benzodiazapams and other anti-convulsant drugs. Steve received one dose of midazolam from the EMTs before he was brought in. This helped stop his first seizure and lessened the severity of the second.” He pauses to make sure Steve’s friends are still following his explanation. 

 

“Now since, we have purposely been weaning Steve off his anti-convulsant medications to start to the new drug, I opted to put Steve under general anesthesia to stop the seizures instead of administering more anti-convulsant drugs. Right now, we have Steve intubated to manage his airway and we are going to keep him sedated with Propofol, which is one of the drugs we used to put him under, for a few days to let him rest and recover and to prevent further seizures.”

 

Catherine gasps, “Steve’s not breathing on his own?” 

 

“Steve’s oxygen levels were low after the seizures and because of the general anesthesia we needed to intubate to manage his airway while he was under since it often represses the respiratory system. To answer your question, Steve is capable of breathing on his own at the moment but we are going to keep him intubated and on the ventilator until we bring him out of sedation to prevent respiratory distress caused by the sedation.”

 

“Did Steve suffer any brain damage from the seizures?” Mary’s voice is full of fear as she voices her question. 

 

“We won’t know for sure until he wakes up. With SE, brain damage is always a concern; but we did a CT scan, which didn’t show any signs of damaged and his EEG test was good as well. These results are encouraging; but frankly, we won’t know anything concrete until Steve is awake.”

 

“How long will you keep him under?” Chin questions the doctor. 

 

“Most likely 3 or 4 days, maybe longer. It depends on how quickly the midazolam leaves his system and he gives a clean blood test. After today, I want to start him on the new medication as soon as possible but I don’t want him to be awake for very long without any preventative drugs.”

 

“I thought Steve had to be clean of all anti-convulsants to start the new drug?” Danny asks, confused. 

 

“He does, the Propofol we are giving him to keep him sedated will prevent any further seizures from happening as long as he is taking it but it won’t interact with the new drug in an adverse way like the other anti-convulsants can.”

 

“So when will Steve be able to start the new drug?” Danny chimes in with his question. 

 

“I’m hoping by next Friday but it will all depend on Steve’s blood tests. He will have to wake up fully from the sedation before we start and I will keep him under observation for 2-3 more days after we start the drug to make sure he doesn’t have any complications or more seizures.”

 

“Can we see Steve?” Catherine is anxious to see her boyfriend. 

 

“He should be settled in the ICU by now. I’ll allow you to go two at a time for five minutes each but then you’ll have to leave for the night. You can come back for visiting hours in the morning.” He can see the protests that are about to come and cuts them all off before anyone can voice them.  “Steve is going to be deeply sedated for the next few days so he won’t even know if you are here. I know you all want to be with him, but he’s in the ICU for a reason and the nurses need room to work. Besides, none of you will do Steve any good if you are all exhausted and running on empty when he wakes up.” Dr. Freeman’s voice leaves no room for argument and each member of the group nods their understanding. “All right, if you don’t have any more questions I’ll take you to see Steve.”

 

No one speaks but they all stand wait expectantly for Dr. Freeman to lead the way to the ICU. After the amount of time they spent in the ICU with Steve a few months ago, Danny, Chin, and Kono don’t really need a guide to find the ICU from here but Dr. Freeman is set on escorting them up to the 4th floor where the ICU is. 

 

No one speaks a word on the way up to the ICU until Dr. Freeman breaks the silence as they step out of the elevator. “Another thing I forgot to mention is that Steve must have either fallen right before the seizure started or hit his left arm hard on something during the seizure because his left wrist is broken.”

 

“That’s the same arm he broke in his fall. Did he re-break the healed fracture?” Danny asks. 

 

“It is the same arm, but no, he broke his wrist this time. When he broke his arm back in April he fractured the radius and ulna about midway between the wrist and elbow. Steve broke his scaphoid during the seizure, it’s a carpal bone in the wrist between the thumb and radius. It is a fracture we commonly see when someone falls on their outstretched arm.”

 

“Steve just can’t catch a break.” Kono says and shakes her head in sympathy for her boss. 

 

“The good news is, its a simple fracture that didn’t require surgery or even setting. We casted Steve’s wrist and thumb and he should heal completely in about 4 weeks.”

 

They come to a stop outside of one of the glass cubicles in the ICU. “5 minutes each. No longer.” Dr Freemen says sincerely. “After you each see Steve, I want you all to go home for the night. You can come back in the morning during visiting hours. I wont restrict your access to Steve during visiting hours in the next few days, meaning if the nurses aren’t in tending to Steve, two of you can be in there at a time with him; but when the nurses are in providing care you have to step out. Understood?” He gives them all a stern look as they voice their understanding of his orders with no arguments. 

 

“Why does Steve have an NG tube?” Catherine questions as she observes Steve through the glass wall. The privacy curtain isn’t pulled shut so they can see Steve through the glass enclosure. He looks horrible with tubes and wires coming out of him from everywhere there is an opening for them. He has electrodes attached to his forehead and there are even a few stuck to his scalp through his hair. 

 

“We have to make sure Steve’s stomach is empty to reduce the risk of him regurgitating bile and aspirating it. It’s a normal precautionary measure whenever we have a patient on a ventilator.”

 

“Catherine you go first on your own. Mary and I will go together and Chin and Kono can go together.” Danny squeezes Cath’s shoulder, he knows that Catherine is the one who needs to see Steve the most after the stress of witnessing his seizures. 

 

“Thanks Danny.” Catherine takes a deep breath and prepares herself to go in to see her boyfriend. Catherine enters the room and observes her boyfriend from up close. He looks even worse than he did from the hall, his skin is pale, he has tubes all over, there is the NG tube coming out of his nose that leads to a canister by the bed, the lower part of his face is obscured by the ventilator and and the holding mechanism that wraps around the back of his neck; Steve isn’t wearing a gown, but has a blanket pulled up to his armpits, so she can see the central line IV that is going into the artery under his clavicle, there are also heart monitor leads connected to his chest. He has another IV leading into his right arm, along with a blood pressure cuff around his bicep, his left is casted and propped up on a pillow next to him, and she can see the clear tubing from the foley snaking from under the sheets to the collection bag hanging on the side of the bed. She shudders and thinks to herself that Steve is going to hate that tube when he wakes up. 

 

Catherine gently picks up his right hand and gives it a squeeze before she leans over to give him a kiss on the forehead. “God, Steve. You scared the crap out of me today. Don’t ever do that again.” She chides him gently, still holding his lax hand. “I have to go now and let the others have a turn to see you before we are all kicked out for the night. You just rest and get better.” She places his hand back by his side and gives him another kiss on the forehead while caressing his hair. She leans over further and whispers into his ear. “I love you, Steve. See you tomorrow.”

 

-H50-

 

It is almost midnight by the time Catherine and Mary get home from the hospital. The house is quiet when they enter. There are pieces of the small area rug that sits in front of the front door lying all over the entry way and there are scratches in the paint on the front door. In the haste to get Steve to the hospital, Catherine forgot to put Bo in his kennel before she left with the EMTs. Normally Bo does ok on his own for a couples hours but Catherine figures Bo was worried about Steve and may have had some separation anxiety after all the excitement in the house earlier. Bo is lying at the bottom of the stairs. He perks up when the door opens but puts his head down again and whines when he doesn’t see Steve enter. 

 

Catherine goes over to the depressed puppy and gives him a good petting. “Steve will be ok, Bo. He just needs to rest a little at the hospital for a few days before he comes home again.” She knows Bo can’t understand a word she is saying and she feels  a little ridiculous talking to the dog like this but she can’t help it. It makes her feel a little better. She doesn’t have it in her to chastise him for tearing up the rug, if she gets mad at him now, he isn’t going to know why she's mad anyway. “Let’s go for a walk. You haven’t been out in hours.” She grabs the leash from the table by the front door and hooks it onto Bo’s collar. 

 

The go for a short walk, just long enough for Bo to do his business before they return to the house, neither of them are in the mood for anything longer. Catherine cleans up the shredded rug when they get back and makes a mental note to buy a new rug and some paint for the front door. After she grabs a quick bite to eat she heads upstairs for the night. Bo follows Catherine up to the bedroom and rather than take his usual place on his dog bed by Steve’s side of the bed, he lies down on the rug next to Catherine’s side. He seems to know his master isn’t coming home tonight. The look on his face about breaks Catherine’s heart.

 

-H50-

 

Catherine and Mary spend the whole weekend at the hospital. They rotate shifts sitting with Steve with Danny, Chin, and Kono until the Five-0 Task Force gets a case and they have to leave. 

 

Steve’s condition doesn’t change over the weekend. They keep him sedated and on the ventilator, rolling him over every two hours to prevent pressure sores. Cath and Mary spend their time together in Steve’s room trading stories on their tough Navy SEAL. Mary tells Catherine stories about Steve when they were kids while Cath tells her about Steve while he was at Annapolis and tells her about some of Steve’s more interesting but not classified SEAL missions along with some PG stories about Steve when they have been on leave together in varying parts of the world. 

 

Monday, both Cath and Mary have to go back to work. They are reluctant to leave him by himself all day but Catherine doesn’t have any leave left and Mary can’t afford to take time off work since she is a new employee and also can't afford to skip any of her classes. Steve would kill her if he wakes up and finds out that she dropped out of school and lost her job because of him, even if she did it and it wasn’t because of him. He is so proud of his little sister for trying to turn her life around. 

 

Everyone spends as much time at the hospital with Steve as they can when they aren’t working or in Mary’s case, in class. As soon as Catherine is done at the base every day she heads to the hospital to spend time with Steve every evening until the nurses kick her out. 

 

Wednesday she arrives at the hospital to find Dr. Freeman and a nurse in Steve’s room. She has to wait until the doctor exits before she can ask what’s going on. 

 

“Is Steve ok?” her voice is filled with worry and concern. 

 

Dr. Freeman gives her a smile.  “Steve is doing just fine. We just removed the ventilator and dialed back on the sedation. He should start to come around in an hour or two.”

 

Catherine lets out a relieved breath. “What about his blood test? Does he still have the Midazolam in his system?”

 

“There are trace amounts of it still. We will continue to flush his system out with IV saline but at the same time I am going to keep him on a minimal dose of the sedative to try to prevent more seizures until we start the new medication. I think by Friday he should be clear to start the knew medication as long as he’s not having any major effects from the SE.”

 

“Like what? I thought you said there wasn’t any brain damage.”

 

“Steve’s latest scan and EEG don’t show any obvious damage but like I said the other night, we can’t be sure until Steve is awake. While this was a serious event for Steve, it was relatively mild compared to other cases of SE I have seen. I don’t anticipate any major side effects but until Steve is awake, we won’t know for sure.”

 

Catherine nods her understand and prays that Steve will be fine when he wakes up. “He will be awake soon then?”

 

“Propofol is a short acting drug and once we stop it, it doesn’t take long for patients to wake up. I’d say Steve will be awake within the next two hours or so. But remember, he is going to be really tired and groggy so don’t be concerned if he isn’t completely with it when he wakes up. It will take some time for him to get it together.” The doctor can see how happy she is at the prospect of Steve being awake soon. He gives her a smile, “Go sit with Steve, make sure to call for the nurse when he wakes up. She will page me and I’ll come in and assess him.”

 

“Thank you, Dr. Freeman.” Catherine is grateful that he is Steve’s doctor. The man is compassionate and has a great bedside manner and a talent for explaining things in a way that is easy to understand, even if you don’t have a medical background. 

 

-H50-

 

It is an hour and a half later when Steve finally starts to come around. Catherine first notices the change in his heart rate; the steady blips on the monitor speed up. Then his breathing changes, his slow even breaths give out to quicker, shorter breaths as he starts to shift a little restlessly. 

 

“Steve can you hear me?” She squeezes his hand and caress the side of his face. She is glad that most of the tubes and wires are gone. He just has a nasal canula under his nose and the leads for the heart monitor snake out of the neck of his gown. The central line is gone, leaving him with just the IV in his arm. The only other tube sill attached is that of the foley catheter.

 

Steve shifts some more but doesn’t respond to her voice. “Steve? Can you hear me? Wake up, babe.” she commands again and is rewarded with a groan. Cath smiles, “That’s it, Steve. Open your eyes and wake up.”

 

She can see Steve struggling to open his eyes. He swallows hard and winces at the pain in his throat from the ventilator tube that has taken up residence there for the last five days. Steve finally manages to crack his eyes open to little slits. 

 

“Hey Sailor. Welcome back.” Catherine smiles at him and gives him a kiss on the forehead before pressing the call button clipped to the side of the bed. 

 

“Cath.” He gives her a lazy half smile, “Wha’ happ’nd?” Steve manages to rasp. his throat is raw and his voice is barely a whisper. 

 

“You’re ok, Steve. You had a nasty seizure but your gonna be ok. Dr. Freeman will be here soon to check you over. How are you feeling?”

 

“Hmm. Tired.” Is all Steve manages before his eyes slip closed again. He is so tired. All he wants to do is sleep. 

 

A nurse pages Dr. Freeman as soon as Catherine tells her Steve is awake and the doctor shows up less than five minutes later. He puts Steve through a barrage of tests before declaring him no worse for wear and lets them know that he will be back again in the morning to check on Steve. Catherine is relieved to hear that Steve isn’t suffering any ill effects from the SE. 

 

Steve is sleeping now, Dr. Freeman ordered a dose of a mild pain reliever after Steve complained of a headache. “Steve is doing fine, Catherine. He should sleep through the night now and will be much more lucid tomorrow. We will move him to a regular room late tomorrow morning. You should go home and get some rest.”

 

“I’m just going to sit with him for a while longer and then I’ll go home.” She starts to turn towards Steve’s ICU cubicle before she remembers her next question, “Oh, Dr. Freeman? Tomorrow after Steve is moved to a regular room, is it ok if I bring Bo by to visit him?” 

 

“I don’t see why you can’t. Bo is a service dog so as long as you put his vest on him nobody will give you any trouble. Besides, I think it will do Steve some good to see Bo.” Bo had been Steve’s main concern once he was awake a little more when Dr. Freeman had been checking Steve over. 

 

She smiles and thanks him before he leaves. Catherine is glad she has tomorrow and Friday off since she is supposed to work the weekend at the base. It will be nice to be able to spend her off time with Steve since he will actually be awake. 

 

Catherine keeps one hand over Steve’s and uses the other to text their friends to let them know that Steve woke up and is fine. She also tells them that he is going to sleep through the night so they should wait until tomorrow to visit. 

 

Catherine sits back with a smile and watches her boyfriend sleep. She glad to see him free of most of the tubes and knowing that he is actually sleeping and not sedated makes all the difference. 

 

A couple minutes later there is a soft knock on the door. She looks up to see Mary entering. 

 

“I got your text.” Mary said, “I had just pulled into the parking lot when you texted so I figured I would at least come up here and check in. Steve’s really ok?”

 

Cath nods and smiles, “Yeah, he was a little out of it but Dr. Freeman said Steve passed all his tests with flying colors. No signs of brain damage any where. He did have a headache though so Dr. Freeman gave him something. Between that and the lingering effects of the Propofol, he should sleep through the night.”

 

“Thank God. I was terrified Steve wouldn’t come out of this without brain damage. I read all those pamphlets from the doctor and it scared the crap out of me the way they talked about all the bad things that could result from SE.”

 

“I know. Dr. Freeman said it wasn’t as bad as it could have been and aside from a residual headache Steve has no other problems. They are even going to move him to a regular room before lunch tomorrow.”

 

“Steve will be happy about that.” 

 

“Yeah, I’m off tomorrow and Friday. I was planning on spending the next couple days at the hospital with him. Are you working tomorrow?” Cath can’t remember Mary’s schedule off the top of her head. 

 

“No, I’m off tomorrow but I have class from one to five tomorrow. I’ll spend the morning here with him and then come back after class if you don’t mind.”

 

“Mary, you are Steve’s sister. You have just as much right as I do to spend time with him. In fact if you want to spend a couple hours with just the two of you, so you can have some sibling bonding time, let me know and I’ll make myself scarce for a couple hours.”

 

“That really means a lot Catherine, but you don’t have to do that.”

 

“Steve really regrets not making more of an effort to keep in touch with you after you guys were sent to the mainland. He’s so happy you are back on the island though. He’s really proud of you.”

 

“Well it isn’t entirely his fault we lost contact for so long. I didn’t really make an effort either. And even if he had called, I probably wouldn’t have answered.”

 

“At least you have each other now. I’m going to head home for the night, take Bo out. You stay with Steve for a while.” Catherine stands and gives Steve a gentle kiss on the cheek before she gives Mary a quick hug and heads home for the night. 

 

Catherine arrives home fifteen minutes later. She is greeted by a sullen Bo. He is happy to see her but has been lacking his usual excitement since Steve was taken to the hospital. “Hey Buddy. Should we go for a walk?” Cath clips his leash to his collar and heads out the door with him. They take a long walk together. Catherine feels bad for Bo, he has been a little neglected over the last few days since Steve has been in the hospital. Sure he’s being walked a fed regularly but he hasn’t been getting as much attention as he is used to. And while he likes everyone in Steve’s ohana, Steve is his favorite person and not having Steve around is having a negative effect on him. 

 

After their walk, Catherine takes Bo into the back yard to play a game of fetch with him before she heads inside for a shower and a bite to eat. Bo follows her everywhere and waits patiently by the bathroom door while she is in the shower. He has taken to sleeping on the floor by Catherine’s side of the bed in Steve’s absence so she moved his dog bed so he at least has a comfortable place to sleep. 

 

“You wanna go see Steve tomorrow, Bo?” Cath asks the dog as she rubs behind his ears from her position lying on the side of the bed. Bo’s ears perk up at the mention of Steve’s name. “We’ll go tomorrow afternoon after Steve’s moved to a regular room, ok Buddy?” Bo woofs and wags his tail as if he knows what she is saying. Catherine smiles and runs her hand down his soft back. She is so glad she was able to talk Steve into keeping Bo all those months ago. 

 

TBC


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 37

Catherine is up early the next morning. She takes Bo for a long walk before breakfast and then showers and packs a bag of clothes for Steve so, now that he is awake, he won’t have to wear hospital gowns anymore. She also packs his shaving kit and toothbrush since he will be in the hospital at least until Monday according to Dr. Freeman. 

She plays with Bo in the backyard until it gets closer to 9am when visiting hours start in the ICU. She tosses his ball for him and plays tug of war with him for a good hour to use up some of his energy and wear him out a bit. She feels bad that Bo hasn’t gotten the amount of attention he is used to over the last week. At 8:30 Catherine calls Bo up to the house.

“I’ll be back in a couple hours, Bo. Then we can go see Steve this afternoon.” Catherine gives him a good scratch behind the ears before she shuts the door to his kennel. She tries not to feel too heartbroken by the look he gives her when she closes the door. He isn’t used to spending so much time alone or in the kennel. 

Catherine drives to the hospital by herself. Mary has a meeting this morning with her advisor so she will come by the hospital in a couple hours. Cath plans on giving the siblings a couple hours to themselves after Steve is moved while she goes back to the house to get Bo. 

Steve is still asleep when she arrives in his ICU cubicle. She had stopped by the nurses station to speak to his nurse before entering his cubicle. Steve had a quiet night, according to his nurse, he woke up very briefly when she went in to get his vitals but was asleep again after only a minute or two. 

Catherine puts his duffle bag in the corner and settles into the uncomfortable chair next to Steve’s bed with one hand covering Steve’s and the other holding her book open. When Steve was first brought in and kept sedated she would read to him, she started out with the newspaper but picked up the latest John Grisham novel in the hospital gift shop a few days ago. She is about halfway through the book but since Steve is merely sleeping now rather than sedated she is just going to read to herself so she doesn’t disturb him until he decides to join the waking world. 

Half an hour later, Catherine’s concentration on the book is broken by a gentle squeeze on her hand and Steve rasping, “Hey.”

“Hey, you're awake,” She smiles, sits forward, and him and gives him a chaste kiss. “How are you feeling?”

“Mmm. Tired.” Steve brings his left arm up to rub his eyes but stops when he feels the weight of the cast on his arm. He stars at it in confusion. “What happened?” 

“Do you remember waking up yesterday?” Steve was out of it last night when he woke up but she is a little surprised to hear him ask about what happened again.

Steve shakes his head. “I think I kinda remember waking up and seeing you but its all really fuzzy.” Steve gropes for the bed controls and raises himself into a semi seated position.

“You had a seizure. Two actually. The first lasted over 8 minutes and the second started a couple minutes after the first one stopped. An ambulance brought you in 6 days ago. They had to put you under general anesthesia to get the seizures to stop. Then they kept you sedated until last night.”

Steve nods, he has a fuzzy memory of Cath telling him that last night. He clears his raw throat and coughs a little, “Water?”

Catherine pours a fresh glass of ice water from the pitcher the nurse left on the bedside table. She holds the glass and straw for Steve as he drinks. “Go slow or you’ll be sick.”

Steve takes a few small sips, enough to dampen his mouth and throat, before pulling away. “My arm?”

“You fell right before the seizure started and broke a bone in your wrist. Dr. Freeman said it should heal fine in a few weeks. He also said as long as you are doing ok, tomorrow you should be able to start the new medication. He’ll be in soon to check you over I think.”

“Was I at home when it happened? I don’t remember anything.”

Catherine nods, “Yeah, you were home. I had just gotten home from the base and Bo was barking like crazy. You were on the floor in the bedroom still in the tonic phase when I found you.”

Steve sinks back into his pillows and closes his eyes for a brief moment before he looks Catherine in the eye. “I’m sorry, Catherine.”

“Steve, you have no reason to be sorry. None of this is your fault.” She says for what has to be the thousandth time in the last couple months.

“I’m sorry that you had to see that. That you had to go through that. You shouldn’t have to deal with this.” Steve averts his gaze, carefully studying the cast on his left arm. They have had multiple conversations along these lines over the past couple months. Every seizure Steve has with Catherine around is a blow to Steve’s confidence and always makes him either try to talk Catherine into leaving, or apologizing profusely for putting her through this. And every time Catherine has to talk some sense into him and convince him that she isn’t going anywhere. She will do it until she is blue in the face if it means that Steve will finally accept that she is in it for the long haul, epilepsy or not. 

“Look at me, Steve.” Catherine says with a tone that leaves no room for argument. She moves from the chair to the bed so she is sitting next to his hip, facing him. Cath grabs his right hand and gives it a squeeze, waiting for Steve to look at her again. “I love you, no matter what. I loved you before the PTE and I love you now, and I will still love you tomorrow and every day after that, whether the new medication works or not. Yes, I hate that you have to go through all this; I would trade places with you in a heartbeat if I could, I’d do anything so that you don’t have to suffer through another seizure. It terrified me to see you seizing like that last week, but none of that changes the way I feel for you. You aren’t getting rid of me, Steve. You got that?” Catherine holds his gaze until he finally nods his head. “Good.” she leans over and gives him a loving kiss. 

“What did I do to deserve you?” Steve questions as he wraps his arms around her and tugs her so she is lying on the bed next to him. Catherine gladly wraps her arms around him and snuggles into his side. It has been too long since they have had close contact like this.

“I could ask the same question about you, Steve.” Catherine says and kisses him again. 

The lay together in silence just enjoying each others company for a few minutes before Steve asks, “How’s Bo?” 

“He misses you. We’ve been taking good care of him for you while you’ve been here. You should be moved to a regular room in a few hours. After that happens I’ll bring Bo in for a visit. I think he’s been lonely without you home. I’m really glad you decided to keep him. He has certainly been earning his keep lately.”

“He’s a good dog.” Steve’s eyes drift closed again. He just woke up but he still feels exhausted. He is about to drift off to sleep when Dr. Freeman enters the room.

“Good morning, Steve. How are you feeling today?” the doctor greets his patient as he flips through Steve’s chart. Catherine sits up and resumes her position in the bedside chair to get out of Dr. Freeman’s way.

Steve cracks his eyes open, “Still really tired.”

Dr. Freeman smiles, “That’s normal after what you’ve been through in the last week. Your body just needs to catch up. Not to mention you still have some pretty strong drugs in your system from the sedation. Are you in any pain?”

“No, not really. My arm aches a little but it is more annoying than painful. Just a dull throb.” Steve brushes his fingers across the cast that covers his left arm and hand from his knuckles to about three quarters of the way up his forearm. His thumb is casted too which annoys Steve but he knows that it is necessary to have his thumb immobilized for his wrist to heal properly.

“What about your head? Any headache at all?” Dr. Freeman asks as he checks Steve’s pupils with a penlight.

“There wasn’t until you flashed that light in my eyes.” Steve grumbles. The light caused a dull ache to develop behind his eyes but it isn’t something that he would normally complain about.

“I’ll have the nurse give you some ibuprofen for it. Now has Catherine informed you on what has happened since you were brought in.”

Steve nods as Catherine says, “I gave him the cliff notes version.”

“Good. I’m just going to check you over and then we will get you moved to a regular room in about an hour or so.”

“How long do I have to stay in the hospital?” Steve rubs his eyes with his right hand, trying to get some of the sleep grit out of them and wake up a little more. 

“Well tomorrow I think you should be able to start the injections. As long as all goes well you’ll be discharged on Monday.”

“Monday? Why do I have to stay so long?” he asks around a yawn. He can’t believe how exhausted he still is after doing nothing but sleep for the last 6 days.

“Steve, your body has been through a very stressful experience. You had two seizures in rapid succession. One of which lasted over 8 minutes and the other close to 5. We had to put you under general anesthesia to stop them. Then we kept you sedated and on a ventilator for 5 days. You’ve barely been awake for more than 12 hours. You need time to rest and recover. You aren’t going to have much energy to do much more than carry on a short conversation or roll over in bed.”

“The other reason I want to keep you longer is because we have to monitor you closely for any acute reactions or side effects to the new medication once we start it. And after your SE episode, I want you to have help nearby in the event that this medication doesn’t work and you have another seizure. I don’t anticipate that happening but I want to play it safe.”

“So you’ll know by Monday if this is going to work?” Cath asks. 

Dr. Freeman shakes his head, “Not exactly, Steve will have to be seizure free for six months before I can officially declare this drug a success but given the frequency of the seizures in the last few weeks, if Steve doesn’t have a seizure within the first 72 hours after starting it I think that will be a pretty good indication that if the medication doesn’t completely stop the seizures we will at least have better control of the PTE in terms of reducing the frequency of the seizures.”

“So first thing in the morning I’ll start the new drug?” 

“I’ll have the lab tech come in and take a blood sample at 5am and if its clear, which I believe it should be, I’ll come in at 7 and you’ll have your first dose then. For today, I want you to rest. Catherine, you may stay but I want to limit the number of visitors for today. Steve, you need time to rest and resting will reduce the risk of another seizure. Your friends can come in for a brief visit this afternoon or evening but otherwise I want you resting, Steve.”

“Is it still ok if I bring Bo in?” Catherine questions. She really doesn’t want to keep Bo from Steve for much longer. The puppy has been way too depressed in the last few days. He hasn’t been eating as well since Steve was brought in on Friday.

“That’s fine as long as he doesn’t keep Steve from resting. Any other questions for me?” The couple shake their heads in the negatory. “Alright then, you should be moved to a regular room in about an hour. I’ll come check on you later today. If you need anything just let the nurses know. Get some rest, Steve. Your body needs the sleep.”

After Dr. Freeman leaves, a nurse comes in with a couple of ibuprofen tablets for Steve for his headache and the pain in his arm. He swallows them with a couple sips of water and then is asleep within minutes of her leaving. The conversation left him even more tired that he already was. Mary shows up a few minutes later but the girls decide to let him sleep rather than wake him again. He wakes briefly an hour later when a couple of orderlies come to move him to a regular room but sleeps through most of the trip up to the 6th floor where his new room will be. 

Catherine leaves to go home for a bit while Steve is being situated in his new room. She will be back in a couple hours with Bo. 

-H50-

Catherine spends a couple hours at home so Steve and Mary can have some time to themselves before she has to leave to get to school. First she calls Danny to let him know that he and the rest of Five-0 can come visit for a few minutes later this afternoon or evening. 

She is tempted to go for a run but decides to just take Bo for a good long walk instead since he has been stuck in his kennel all morning. Because Bo is still growing, the vet recommended they wait to take Bo on long runs until he is closer to 2 years old to prevent problems with his joints. He can run and play all he wants in the yard but forced exercise will have to wait until he is done growing. After the walk she tosses his ball for him a few times before making herself some lunch and taking a quick shower to freshen up after being outside in the heat. 

It is after one when Catherine is ready to head back to the hospital. “Bo come.” She calls from the front door. She has his service dog vest in one hand and the leash in the other. The dog happily trots over to her. “Good boy! You ready to go see Steve today?” Bo wags his tail and woofs once like he knows what she is saying. Catherine figures he probably does. He knows Steve’s name and will perk up every time it is mentioned. He is a smart dog.

She clips the vest and leash on, “Alright, lets go see Steve.” Bo woofs again.

A few minutes later Catherine is navigating their way up to the 6th floor where Steve’s hospital room is. Bo gets more and more excited as they get closer to his room as if he can sense that his master is nearby. The second they enter Steve’s room and Bo sees Steve sitting up on the bed, he launches himself at Steve. His tail is wagging a mile a minute and he lets out a few happy woofs and happy whines at seeing his master for the first time in a week. 

“Hey Buddy!” Steve grins, he’s happy to see Bo. He’s gotten used to having the dog around, Bo has been a comforting presence for Steve ever since he brought him home and he has made dealing with everything a lot easier for Steve.

“Someone missed you.” Catherine observes Bo trying to lick Steve’s face and neck while Steve tries to dodge the puppy slobber but he’s smiling and he’s really not trying all that hard. Bo plants himself so he is sitting mostly on Steve’s lap with his head against Steve’s neck. His tail never stops wagging. 

“How are you feeling, Babe? You look a lot better.” Catherine asks her boyfriend. He is looking more awake now than he was a couple hours ago when she was here.

“I feel a lot better.” He answers honestly, “I’m not as tired as I was when I woke up this morning. My arm doesn’t hurt anymore and my headache is almost gone. Mary just left about an hour ago for school.” Steve runs one hand down Bo’s back while he uses his fingers of his casted hand to scratch Bo behind the ears. The dog has a blissed out expression on his face, his tail still wagging against the bed. It is going to be hard to convince Bo to leave Steve’s side later when it is time to go home again. 

Steve stops petting Bo for a second to grab his water glass for a drink. His throat is still raw from the breathing tube and his voice sounds like he has been screaming himself hoarse. Bo makes his displeasure for this known by nudging at Steve with his nose and pawing at Steve’s arm. Luckily it is the arm without the IV.

“Calm down, Bud. I’m not going anywhere.” Steve says to Bo after taking a few sips of water to soothe his sore throat.

“He just moped around the house all week with you not being home. He’s definitely your dog.”

“He didn’t tear anything up did he?” 

“Just the rug by the front door. That was the night you were brought in. In the rush to get to the hospital I forgot to put him in his kennel before I left. When Mary and I got home, he was lying at the bottom of the stairs looking sullen and the rug was torn up. There are a few scratches on the front door too but I think if we sand it down and re-stain it it you won’t be able to notice a difference.”

“I didn’t like that rug anyway. I have been meaning to replace it but never got around to it. And the door isn’t a big deal. It will give me something to do since I have a feeling Dr. Freeman isn’t going to let me go back to work next week.”

“You are probably right about that but another week off won’t hurt. And since this is my weekend for drills on base, I will have Monday afternoon and Tuesday off since I have to report at 1800 tomorrow night and won’t leave again until Monday at 0700 hours, so we can spend some time together when you are released. ”

“I can’t wait.” Steve smiles and squeezes her hand. 

“You look like you could use another nap.” Catherine comments when Steve yawns again. 

“I don’t know why I am so tired. I haven’t done anything today. I didn’t even get up when they moved me to this room.”

“You are still recovering from the SE. Not to mention all the drugs in your system. Go to sleep, Steve. We will still be here when you wake up.”

Steve tugs her hand. “Lay here with me.”

Cath laughs, “I don’t think all three of us are going to fit on the bed.”

“Sure we will.” Steve says as he sits forward, gently pushing Bo towards the end of the bed. He shifts to the side a little and then he gets Bo to lay between his legs with Bo’s head resting on his thigh and his hand on Bo’s head to keep Bo from creeping further up the bed. Steve then pats the bed next to him with a smirk. “There, now there is plenty of room for all of us.”

“If you insist.” Cath laughs again and crawls onto the bed with her two favorite guys. Steve shifts over again to make a little more room for her and winces when is catheter tube is pulled slightly.

“You ok?”

Steve nods, “I just wish they would take another tube out.” For Steve, having the catheter tube is the most uncomfortable part of being in the hospital. He normally doesn’t have to suffer with it for long after he is awake but Dr. Freeman wouldn’t ok its removal for another day or two because they have to keep a close eye on his kidneys and output because of the drugs he is on. 

“This will all be over and you’ll be home before you know it.” Catherine spoke as she snuggled in a little closer, one hand playing with Steve’s hair and the other on Bo’s back. 

Steve sighed, he knows the next few days are going to drag on. He sinks back into the pillows and wills himself to relax a little. He pulls Cath in a little closer and absent mindedly scratches Bo. He is glad to have his family with him again. It feels so right to have Catherine snuggled close and Bo draped over his legs. He can’t wait to be home so he can enjoy time like this even more, without the distraction of the hospital and the worry about his medical condition. Steve lets sleep pull him in. He sinks back further as he relaxes and drifts off. 

Catherine rests her head on Steve’s shoulder and closes her eyes. It feels so good to be close to him like this after the stress of the last week. She had missed having him close to her when they sleep and using his chest as her pillow. Being close to him like this allows her to let go of some of the stress and fear she didn’t quite realize was still plaguing her since the SE ordeal started a week ago. She hasn’t been sleeping well without Steve by her side so it doesn’t take long for Catherine to join Steve in the dreamworld. 

-H50-

A few hours later, Steve and Catherine wake up to the sound of Chin and Kono snickering and Danny snapping a couple pictures of them on his phone. 

“Seriously Danny?” Steve grumbles as he cracks his eyes open and Catherine slides off the bed, blinking awake and smoothing her clothes. Bo lifts his head and wags his tale when Kono scratches behind his ears. 

“Couldn’t pass up the opportunity. How are you feeling?” 

“Fine, just tired.” Steve answers, dragging his right hand across his face to rid the sleep grit from his eyes. 

“Good to see you awake, Brah.” Chin chimes in from the end of the bed. 

“Thanks Chin.”

“Catherine said you will be able to start the new medication tomorrow?” Chin questions as he too gives Bo’s back a scratch. The dog is loving all the attention from his human’s friends. 

“Yeah, as long as the blood test comes back clean, I’ll take the first shot in the morning. What have I missed at work the last week?” Steve changes the subject. He doesn’t really want to talk about himself and his medical issues right now. Doesn’t really want to think about the implications that tomorrow brings if the drug doesn’t work either. 

“Nothing too exciting. It’s been pretty quiet the last couple weeks.” Chin informs his boss. “Just assisting HPD with some robberies and tying up loose ends on our last couple cases.”

“I spent all week in court testifying against that drug cartel we busted a couple months back.” Kono chimes in. 

They spend the next hour chatting about random things that have happened throughout the week. It feels good to have everyone back together again, even if it is in Steve’s hospital room. Nobody says anything but they are all wishing and hoping that the new drug tomorrow will turn things around for their friend. 

Everyone but Catherine leaves when Steve’s supper tray is brought in. He still doesn’t have much of an appetite and all he is allowed to eat is toast, jello, and tea since he hasn’t had anything in his stomach for the last week. He eats the toast but leaves the jello and drinks the tea. This was his first meal since he woke up last night. He slept through breakfast and lunch. Catherine stays for a another hour or so after the others leave. 

Bo hasn’t been out since they came to the hospital so he needs to go for a walk and go home to eat his own supper. Getting him to leave Steve’s side though is more difficult that either Steve or Catherine anticipated it would be. The German Shepherd has a stubborn streak in him, much like Steve does. 

“Come on, Bo. Time to go for a walk.” Catherine says as she pats her thigh, trying to get him to leave his spot by Steve’s side. Steve gently nudges the dog away from him. 

When that doesn’t work, Steve points to the floor and commands in a stern voice, “Bo, down.” He has to repeat the command a couple times before Bo obliges and hops down to where Catherine fastens the leash to his collar. 

Before she heads for the door with Bo she leans over and gives Steve a kiss. “I’ll be back in the morning before Dr. Freeman comes in.”

“You don’t have to come so early.” Steve protests, “It is just going to be one injection. It isn’t like I will see results immediately with it. We won’t even know if it does it jobs for several days or weeks. Maybe even months.”

“I know. But I want to be here. I’ll bring Bo back too.” Steve opens his mouth to protest again but Catherine shushes him with a kiss. “Don’t argue. Bo and I will be back tomorrow morning.”

“Fine.” Steve concedes, responding to Cath’s kiss. He doesn’t want to let her go but he knows Bo needs to go outside and the two of them need to get home so they can eat dinner. “See you tomorrow.” 

“Goodnight Steve.” Cath gives him another kiss, this time on the cheek, before heading for the door with Bo by her side. 

-H50-

The night passed slowly for Steve. He doesn’t sleep very well, and he is pretty sure he spent more time tossing and turning than he did sleeping. He slept good for about three hours before his nurse came in to change out his IV bag. She was quiet and didn’t wake him intentionally but he has always been a light sleeper and her mere presence is what brought him out of his slumber. 

After that, he had a hard time getting back to sleep. Once he started thinking about the new drug, his mind wouldn’t shut off. He hopes Dr. Freeman and Catherine are right in their hopes that it will work but there is a nagging feeling in the back of his head that it won’t and Steve is having a hard time reconciling what that will mean for his future. He had thought he had come to terms with what his future holds if the PTE can’t be controlled with medications but now he isn’t so sure. And he can’t stop thinking about what will happen if the drug doesn’t work. 

Steve finally manages to calm his mind down with some meditation tricks he has learned over the past few months with Dr. Tyson but every time he starts to drift off, either a noise from the hallway wakes him, or he moves enough that his foley catheter tubing gets pulled and the pain from that wakes him up. He really hopes that tomorrow morning Dr. Freeman will give the ok to have it removed. It is cruel and unusual punishment to be awake and have a foley in. All the previous times he has had to put up with one, he has been so severely injured that he either wasn’t conscious or in too much pain or not aware enough to really notice it. So being awake and feeling more or less ok, with the exception of a mild headache and being overly tired, is unbearable for Steve. 

Steve finally manages to drift off to sleep around four am but is woken up an hour later by the lab tech coming in to draw blood. Luckily though, having an IV in still means that the tech can draw straight from the IV port and doesn’t have to spend time looking for a vein so once the lab tech is gone Steve manages to drift off again for a little bit. It isn’t a very restful sleep, he feels like he is in the annoying stage of being not really asleep but not really awake either. 

At six thirty he is woken up by Bo, who has his front paws on the bed by Steve’s head and is doing his best to greet his favorite human with puppy kisses. Steve rolls away from Bo, and grumbles, “Bo! That’s disgusting!” as he wipes his mouth on the shoulder of his hospital gown. Bo just wags his tail harder with a pleased look on his face. 

“Good morning, Babe.” Catherine greets him with warm wet washcloth so he can wash the dog slobber off his face. 

“Morning.” Steve mumbles as he wipes his face clean with the proffered cloth from Catherine. “Thanks.” he places the washcloth on the night stand and pulls Catherine in for a good morning kiss. 

“How was your night? You look tired.”

Steve gives a slight one shoulder shrug, “It was ok. Didn’t sleep real well. I kept waking up whenever I would hear a noise in the hall.”

“Dr. Freeman hasn’t been in yet has he?” Cath questions as she sits down by his hip. Bo has already claimed his spot from yesterday, draped over Steve’s legs. 

Steve shakes his head. “No, the lab tech came in around 5 to take blood but he was the last person to come in. I think Dr. Freeman should be here soon.” The words were barely out of Steve’s mouth when Dr. Freeman appeared in the doorway. 

“Good morning, Steve, Catherine.” The doctor greets them as he enters the room. “How are you doing this morning, Steve?”

“Ok; so was my blood test clear?” Steve cuts right to the chase. He is ready to start the new medication and not in the mood for pleasantries with his doctor. He shoos Bo off the bed and sits up straighter. 

Dr. Freeman nods, “It was, there was no trace of the Carbamazapine left in your system so we are ready to proceed with the new medication.” He pulls a small rectangular box out of the pocket of his white lab coat. He hands the box to Steve, “Each box contains four preloaded syringes, you’ll get 10 boxes at a time when you fill and refill your prescription, so you’ll have just under a 6 week supply. They don’t need to be refrigerated so you can store them anywhere, just keep it out of direct sunlight, a cool dark place is preferable. You’ll take the injection each morning when you wake up and then every evening you’ll take a tablet with your evening meal. While you are here for the next few days the nurses will bring you the medication on their rounds every morning and evening. Do you have any questions, Steve?”

Steve shakes his head, “I don’t think so.”

“Alright then, I’ll give you this.” He hands Steve a small alcohol swab to clean the injection site with. “You can inject either in your abdomen or the side of you thigh. The syringes are safety syringes to prevent needle sticks and reuse so the cap will automatically engage after you inject.” He waits to explain more as Steve pulls his hospital gown up carefully leaving the blanket over his lap so he doesn’t expose himself. He struggles a little with opening the alcohol swab packet; with his arm and thumb casted it is hard for him to get a good grip on the small thin packet to tear it open. After a few seconds of struggling he manages to tear it open and carefully cleans a spot on his stomach a few inches from his bellybutton. “Alright, now you want to pinch a couple inches of skin up for the needle to go into.” Dr. Freeman stops and watches in surprise as Steve swiftly and correctly disengages the safety cap, inserts the needle, and injects the serum into his abdomen before pulling the hospital gown back over himself. 

“I was trained how to give various injections and place IVs when I got medical training in the SEALs.” Steve explains when he sees the surprised look on Dr. Freeman’s face. “I’m used to giving injections, I just normally don’t give them to myself, although I have on occasion.”

Dr. Freeman nods, “How do you feel? Any dizziness or nausea?” He wraps a blood pressure cuff around Steve’s bicep and proceeds to check his blood pressure.

Steve waits until the doctor is finished checking his blood pressure to answer. “Not really, it burns a little but nothing major. I don’t really feel it anymore.”

“Good, your blood pressure is looking good. A nurse will be in every two hours to check your blood pressure throughout the day. We will keep you on the heart monitor for the rest of your time here to monitor for any heart arrhythmias and we will do blood work every evening to monitor your liver function. If everything checks out, you’ll be released late Monday morning or early afternoon. Any questions?”

“Yeah, when can you take the foley out?” Steve gets straight to the point. He is sick of having that uncomfortable tube in. 

“I’ll instruct the nurse to remove it when she does her rounds. Anything else?”

Steve shakes his head, I don’t think so.”

“Alright, I will be back to check on you later this afternoon. If you need something before then or have any questions don’t hesitate to call to let the nurses know. They will page me.” He shakes Steve’s hand and picks up the used syringe to dispose of in the sharps container by the door. 

Shortly after Dr. Freeman leaves an aide comes in with Steve’s breakfast tray. Last night was his first meal in a week so he is still on a light diet for the rest of the day until his stomach gets used to being full again. He gets pretty much the same thing he had for supper the night before: plain white toast, jello, and apple juice instead of tea. He manages to eat all of it but leaves the jello. It is red this morning and red jello is not a food that Steve has ever been able to stomach. 

A few minutes later a nurse comes in to give him his morning meds, which now just consists of the anti-depressant he is still taking, a new IV bag of saline, and a tray with what she needs to remove the hated foley. 

“I’ll just take Bo and get some coffee.” Catherine says as the nurse gets her tray ready. “I’ll be back in a little bit.”

Steve is relieved to finally get the foley out. It burns a little but he is much more comfortable now. The nurse also helps him get cleaned up a bit. He makes his first trip out of bed in a week. 

“Are you alright?” the nurse questions as Steve grips the sheets tightly as he sits up. The room is spinning around him with the change in position. 

“Yeah, I’m ok. Let’s do this.” Steve says once the room stops spinning. 

“Ok, let’s take it slow.” There is a gait belt around Steve’s waist for the nurse to hold on to, just in case he loses his balance. Steve slowly makes the trek to the bathroom. Once there, the nurse helps him to take a quick shower and get into his t-shirt and shorts that Catherine brought the day before. 

Twenty five minutes later, Steve is back in bed and exhausted. He feels a little ridiculous that he is so tired after only making a trip to the bathroom but to be fair, that is most he has exerted himself in a week. Catherine is back with Bo and a cup of sliced fruit that she found in the small coffee shop on the floor below. 

“The nurse said it was ok for you to have some fruit since you didn’t get much for breakfast.” Cath places the plastic fork and cup of sliced melon, pineapple, strawberries, and grapes on the table in front of him. 

Steve grins and picks up the fork. “You’re the best!” 

After he eats the fruit, which he shared with Catherine, he settles back on the bed in the same position that they were in yesterday with Bo lying over his legs and Cath snuggled up against him. They spend the day watching cheesy movies on tv and, in Steve’s case, napping. 

Mary, his team, and Grace come to visit him at various points throughout the day. Steve is glad to see his friends and it gives him something to do. He hates that he doesn’t have the energy to anything without needing a nap afterwards. Even a trip to the bathroom or a short walk down the hall wears him out. Dr. Freeman assures him that it is perfectly normal for him to be so lacking in energy after the status epilepticus episode and being heavily sedated for a week. 

-H50-

The rest of the weekend seems to drag on for Steve. Catherine is on base for drills all weekend so she isn’t able to visit at all after Friday afternoon. She had to report for duty by 1800 hours on Friday night and won’t be relieved of duty until 0700 hours on Monday morning. Mary spends what time she can with him at the hospital but she too is busy with work and homework so she doesn’t have much free time either. Danny spent as much time at the hospital as Steve would let him. It is his weekend to have Grace and Steve didn’t want her to spend her whole weekend in the hospital with him. They brought him supper on Saturday and lunch on Sunday but he kicked both of them out after two hours each time. Chin and Kono also spend some time visiting on Saturday and Sunday but they have family functions to attend so their visits are short. 

By the time Monday rolls around, Steve is itching to leave. He feels so lazy and useless lying around in bed all day, even though he didn’t have the energy to do anything else all weekend but still, for Steve that is a major feat to not do anything. 

It is 11 am on Monday morning. Steve is sitting on the edge of his bed, dressed in khaki cargo shorts and a light green t-shirt. Catherine is kneeling in front of him tying his shoes since he can’t do that without the use of his casted left arm. He never realized just how impossible is is to tie shoe laces without being able to move your wrist and thumb. 

His blood pressure checks out each time the nurses take it and he hasn’t had any episodes of heart arrhythmias since starting the new anti-convulsant. He takes his pill with supper every night and does the injection first thing in the morning when he wakes up. All his blood work also checks out with no problems so he is ready to be released. He is just waiting for Dr. Freeman to come in with his discharge papers so he can finally leave.

He has to wait another twenty minutes before his doctor shows up with his papers. Then he has to listen to ten minutes worth of discharge instructions and how he needs to come in weekly for blood work for the next four weeks to determine that his liver is functioning properly with the drug in his system and that his heart is ok. After the first four weeks his checkups will turn into monthly visits and hopefully if everything is ok he will eventually be able to come in every three months for blood work and an EKG. 

It is almost noon before Steve is being wheeled out to the car by an orderly in the obligatory wheelchair. He hates having to sit in the chair but if it gets him out of here he will do it without complaint. 

-H50-

Steve and Catherine are greeted by an excited Bo when they enter the front door of the house. They stopped for Chinese take out on the way home since neither of them felt like cooking and Cath is unsure of what is left in the fridge since she was gone all weekend and doesn’t know if Mary went grocery shopping or not. Mary was planning on moving into her own place closer to campus a week ago but that got pushed off since Steve was in the hospital. They new plan is for her to move out next weekend since she has the weekend off from the coffee shop. 

“Hey Buddy. Did you miss me?” Steve asks as he kneels to pet the excited dog. Bo lets out a quick woof and rolls over for a belly rub. After a giving Bo and good scratch Steve goes to find Catherine in the kitchen. She is getting out plates and glasses for lunch. “Let’s eat out on the lanai.” he suggests. “I could use some fresh air after being cooped up in the hospital. 

“Sounds like a good plan. Do you want to take the plates and food out and I’ll get the silverware and something to drink?”

Steve nods and proceeds grab a wet rag to clean the table and loops the handles of the paper bag over his fingers on his casted hand before picking up the plates and heading for the door. He wipes the table down to get all the dirt and dust off before setting out the containers of food. Catherine comes out a couple minutes later with silverware, two glasses of ice tea and Bo on her heels. 

They enjoy their meal in comfortable silence as Bo sniffs around and explores the backyard. After they are done eating, Steve toes off his shoes and socks, leaving the shoe laces tied, and goes down the water to throw Bo’s floating bumper for him. They play until Bo gets tired. Steve takes the dog back up to the house and puts him in his dog kennel under the stairs so he doesn’t roam around the house and get the house all wet and sandy. He then heads upstairs to take a shower and scrub the hospital smell off his skin. 

Catherine is just getting out when Steve gets up stairs. She dries her hair while Steve showers and after they are both done with their aforementioned tasks they lie down together for a few hours of sleep. Catherine is worn out from being on base all weekend. Between Friday night and this morning she got maybe 10 hours of sleep all weekend. And Steve, even though he doesn’t feel too tired at the moment decides to lie down with her just to spend time with her and hold her close. He missed having her around all weekend. 

Catherine is out rather quickly so Steve just holds her and listens to her soft breathing while he gently twirls a strand of her hair in his fingers. He is surprised when a few minutes later he feels his own eyes get heavy and he starts to drift off to sleep. He feels peaceful and relaxed for the first time in months. He hopes it is a sign of good things to come with the new anticonvulsant medication. 

TBC


	40. Epilogue

Epilogue

“You really don't remember anything about that day?” Danny asks Steve as he pulls Steve’s Silverado into the parking lot at the base of the Ko’olua Mountains. Today Danny is finally making good on his promise to hike back up to the petroglyphs with Steve now that Steve is finally back on his feet. 

Steve shakes his head, “No I don’t. The last thing I remember is leaving work the day before. We had wrapped up a case and you and I went to Side Street for wings and a couple beers and made plans to go hiking. I went home and went to bed but I don’t remember waking up the next morning, much less hiking up to the petroglyphs or falling off a cliff.”

Danny doesn’t know what to say so he finally settles for, “I’m sorry man.”

Steve shrugs, “It’s alright. Probably better that I don’t remember it.” It used to bother him that he lost an entire day of his memory, especially since there was a case involved, but he’s made his peace with it. Talking with Dr. Tyson made him realize that he doesn’t need to remember that day, he has had enough traumatic events in his life to give him nightmares. He really doesn’t need to add nightmares about falling off a cliff and breaking his neck into the mix with the nightmares he still has about his dad dying and all the stuff he saw and did as a SEAL. Steve looks at Danny and slides out of the passenger seat, “You ready to go?” 

“Yeah, I’m ready whenever you are.”

Steve opens the back door and clips a long lead onto Bo’s collar. The dog waits patiently, tail wagging excitedly as Steve fastens Bo’s hiking pack on his back that holds a couple bottles of water, a collapsable water dish, some baggies, and a few other supplies for the dog. “Come on, Bo!” Steve steps back so Bo can jump out of the truck. Bo jumps out and waits semi-patiently for Steve and Danny to get ready. Bo is looking more like an adult and less like a puppy now at almost a year old. His shoulders come up just past Steve’s knees and according to Dr. Adams, Bo’s lack of nutrients as a puppy didn’t hinder his growth at all once he started getting regular meals. He is as tall as he is going to get but he will fill out more in the next year or so; right now he is just tall and lanky. 

Steve takes his own backpack from Danny and shuts the door. “Thanks, you got everything?” when Danny nods he says “Alright, lets get going.”

They keep a good pace as the they make their way up the mountain, stopping a few times for water breaks. Bo is having a blast running ahead of them and sniffing at everything. Neither of them talk too much. Steve occasionally says something to Danny about hiking up to the petroglyphs with his dad but other than that they hike in silence, both reflecting on the subsequent events from their previous trip up the mountain. 

“I remember the first time I beat my dad to the summit.” Steve says suddenly. “I was 12. We hiked up here every summer at least once. Mom and Mary would go shopping or do something girly for the day and dad and I would hike up here. This is the one thing on the island that never changes. Everything else has changed, but not this.” 

Danny decides not to tell Steve that he said almost the exact same thing a year ago as they keep hiking. He just listens to Steve reminisce about his childhood, grateful that Steve is alive and able to do this. For a while he didn’t think he would ever see Steve get back to his normal active self. Back when he first woke up from the coma and was suffering from the weakness on his right side and slurred speech, Danny was afraid Steve wouldn’t recover fully despite Dr. Freeman’s assurances that he would. Then when the seizures started Danny was afraid Steve wouldn’t be able to come back to Five-0. But Steve hasn’t had a seizure since he had his status epilepticus episode six months ago. Tomorrow morning he has an appointment with Dr. Freeman where he will officially be declared fit for full duty and fit to drive again. He has already passed the physical and re-qualified with firearms so now all he needs is for his neurologist to officially give him the ok to drive and return to unrestricted duty.

A few hours later they reach the petroglyphs. Steve grabs a bottle of water from his pack for himself and gets Bo’s water dish out for the panting dog. 

“The ancient Hawaiians called this Ki’i Pohaku.” Steve explains after he takes a drink of the water. 

“Images in the stone, right?” 

Steve nods, “Yeah, did I explain that last time?”

Danny points to the turtle, “This is honu. And those are symbols of the hunt right?” Steve nods in the affirmative. “That was as far as you got before you noticed the broken branches on that bush and saw the body.” Danny points to the edge of the cliff where Steve went over. 

“How did it happen?” Steve asks curiously as he walks over to the edge of the cliff to look down.

“When we found the body, you rappelled down to check if he was still alive. He wasn’t, then we came to the conclusion that he was dumped from a plane or helicopter. On your way back up you reached for a rock a little over half way up. It came loose, hit you in the face and you fell. I tried to hold the rope and stop you from falling but then the clip on your harness broke and the rope came free. There was nothing I could do to stop you from falling. You hit the ground and slid towards the edge, I thought you were going to go over that ledge too. But you came to a stop on the very edge with your head hanging over and your left arm pinned under your body. You were unconscious and I had to run up to the summit to get cell reception. That is the rock that hit you.” Danny points to the boulder off to the side of ledge.

“That’s what hit me?” Steve exclaims. He is shocked by the size of it. He knew the rock that hit him in the face was big but he never imagined it was that big. 

“Yeah. It is amazing you are still alive, much less completely healthy between that and the fall.”

Steve is too shocked to say anything. He’s heard the story about his accident before but seeing where it happened and the boulder that caused all the havoc of the last year is overwhelming. It makes him realize just how lucky he is to not have any permanent damage worse than the epilepsy. And even that is now controlled by the medication. 

After a few minutes Steve swallows and turns away from the ledge, “Let’s keep moving. If we want to get to the summit and back down in time to clean up before we meet up with Catherine, Grace, Mary and the rest of the team at the Hilton we need to keep going.” He collects Bo’s water dish and packs it back into the dog’s pack. Cath, Grace, and Mary were having a shopping and spa day today. The girls were spending the morning shopping and then after lunch they are having massages and mani pedis at the spa. Chin and Kono had a family gathering so they were both unable participate in the planned activities for the day prior to supper at the Hilton.

They continue their hike in companionable silence. Every now and then Steve will stop to point something out to Danny but for the most part they both just keep quiet with their thoughts. Steve finds himself lost in thought, reflecting back on the events of the last year. 

The new medication has worked wonders for Steve since he started taking it 6 months ago. The first few days after he got home from the hospital he was tired and had zero energy. Dr. Freeman assured him that that was completely normal between the new medication and recovering from the SE episode. It took about 2 weeks before he started to feel more like himself. The first two weeks out of the hospital after starting the new medication he just felt drained of all his energy and exhausted all the time. Gradually though, his body began to adjust to the new medication and now he doesn’t have any side effects aside from a mild burning sensation when he injects it. He still doesn’t like having to give himself an injection every morning but if it gives him his life back he is more than willing to do it. 

About three weeks after getting out of the hospital he went back to work full time on desk duty. Steve was still stuck in his office all day, which he hated, but after he went two months without having another seizure he and Dr. Freeman decided it would be ok for him to do a little more extensive work; meaning he monitored and directed raids from the surveillance truck, always with Bo at his feet in case he did have a seizure. 

It was after Thanksgiving before Steve was able to start working up to getting back into his regular exercise routine. It took months for his brain to recover from the traumatic brain injury. He had to slowly ease himself into exercising again because of the intense headaches he would get from running or over exerting himself. It was frustrating for Steve but once he and his neurologist felt it was safe for him to start swimming on his own after three months seizure free things got easier for him. The water is where Steve has always felt the most comfortable and at ease so being able to swim again was great therapy for him. He eased himself into exercising with swimming and in December he finally was able to start going for short runs without getting a headache. Once Steve could start working out again he felt much more comfortable with himself, more relaxed and less on edge, and just started to feel more normal again in general. Running and swimming have been such big parts of his life for the last 15 years that he felt a little lost not being able to do either for such an extended period of time. 

At the start of the new year he was even able to stop taking the anti-depressant that Dr. Tyson prescribed after his fall. That alone was a huge step for him. Working out again has really given him an outlet for his stress and has helped him cope with everything so much better. He is down to seeing Dr. Tyson only once a month. Dr. Tyson wants to continue to see Steve after his return to field duty for a while to make sure he is still coping well with everything but Steve is sure it won’t be too much longer before he no longer needs to go for regular sessions. 

A couple hours later Steve, Danny, and Bo reach the summit of the mountain. 

“So this is it?” Danny says as he looks out over the treetops below them. The view is breathtaking. Last year Danny made it about three quarters of the way up the summit before he got cell service to call for help. He didn’t exactly take the time to stop and take in the view while he was up here. 

“Yeah, actually follow me a little further. There’s something I want to show you.” Steve motions to a path that leads into the trees. He whistles at Bo, who is sniffing around the trees a few yards away. Bo happily trots over to his master and he and Danny follow Steve into the forrest. 

The walk for about twenty minutes down a steep and winding path that wasn’t cleared very well, obviously not used often, before they come to a small clearing with a beautiful pond filled with crystal clear blue water with a ten foot waterfall feeding into it. Danny has never seen anything so majestic and despite the noise from the rushing water it is a very peaceful sight. 

“Not many people know about this place.” Steve explains, “My dad and I found it when I was ten. We used to bring camping gear up with us and camp over night here before heading back down the next day.”

“I can see why you like coming up here.” Danny says, taking in the scenery around him. 

Steve slides his backpack off and drops it on the ground by his feet. “Bo, come ‘ere.” Steve commands of the dog who is busy sniffing around. Bo happily trots over to his master and stares at him adoringly. “Good boy!” Steve praises as he scratches Bo’s head. He grabs the collapsable water dish and a bottle of water from Bo’s pack and pours some water in the dish. “There ya go, Buddy.” Steve says and places it in front of the dog. Bo greedily laps up the water until he has had enough. 

Steve then takes a seat on a large rock near the water and digs a couple sandwiches out of his pack. “Here, Danno.” He tosses one of the sandwiches at his friend before opening his own. He’d made a couple PB&J sandwiches and packed a couple apples for lunch for Danny and himself since they are spending all day out hiking.

Danny sits on the rock next to Steve and pulls an unopened bottle of water from Steve’s pack. 

“You ready to go back to unrestricted duty tomorrow?” Danny questions, taking a bite from his sandwich. 

Steve nods, “It’s been a really long year. I’ll be glad to finally be completely back to normal once I can drive and go out in the field again.” Steve pauses as he absent mindedly runs his hand over Bo’s back. The dog is laying by his feet panting contently after drinking his fill of water. “I was beginning to think I would never get to this point.”

“Well I’m glad you did. Five-0 hasn’t been the same without you there in full capacity. It will be good to have my partner back at 100 percent. Plus I am sick of dealing with the Governor and all of the bureaucratic BS. I don’t know how you did it all the time.”

Steve laughs, dealing with the Governor and all her politics is definitely his least favorite part of his job and it is something he hasn’t missed but it is also something that he had a little experience dealing with when he was in the Navy working with Naval Intelligence and the higher ranks. “But you have gotten so good at it, Danno.”

“Yeah well I will gladly let you take over again.” Danny finishes his apple, placing the core in the sandwich bad, and downs the rest of his water before compressing the plastic bottle down and tucking it back in Steve’s backpack to throw away later. 

“You ready to head back down?” Steve asks as he gathers his things and tucks everything back into his pack. 

“Yeah, just let me snap a few pictures to show Grace later and I will be all set.” Danny pulls out his cell phone and activates the camera app. He takes a few pictures of the water fall and the little pond and a few more of Bo standing on a fallen tree trunk, peering into the water intently as Steve skipped rocks next to him.

 

-H50-

The hike down is uneventful and a little faster than the hike up the mountain. By the time they reach Steve’s truck they have an hour and a half to get back to Steve’s house and get cleaned up to meet the girls at The Hilton for supper. 

“Maybe next year we can get Gracie and Catherine to join us in coming up here.” Steve suggests a few minutes into the 45 minute drive. “Mary came up with me and Dad once when she was 10 and swore she would never do it again. She’s not really into the whole outdoor nature thing.”

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me. I know Catherine will love it but I don’t know how much Grace will enjoy the actual hiking part. She will like spending time with you and Catherine though so I’m sure she would have fun.” Despite his claim that Grace would rather get a manicure and a pedicure than go for a hike, he knows for a fact that she would jump at the chance to do anything with her Uncle Steve and Aunt Cath. She seems to lose some of her girly-girl pretenses when she is around Steve and Catherine. Their influence brings out some of the rough and tumble tomboy tendencies in her. Danny may complain about it but in truth, he can’t think of better people for Grace to spend time with. 

Danny glances at Bo in the back seat through the rearview mirror, the dog is sound asleep, sprawled across the back seat. “Bo is really tuckered out back there.”

“Yeah, the hike wore him out. He will sleep good tonight. At least it will keep him from destroying another dog bed.” Bo has chewed and torn up four dog beds in the last six months, he gets bored and starts chewing on things when his humans are sleeping. “All the indestructible toys he has to chew on and he goes for the dog bed.”

Danny laughs, “He’ll grow out of it eventually.”

Steve shakes his head and glances back at the dog stretched across the back seat. He may be a trouble maker at times but Steve is grateful to have Bo in his life. He made things much easier when he was still having seizures. Now that he his medication is controlling the seizures Bo doesn’t really need to go everywhere with him. It doesn’t sit right with Steve to take Bo everywhere with him as his service dog when he doesn’t really need Bo’s services anymore. He hasn’t decided yet what to do with Bo when he is at work. Catherine and Mary schedules won’t always allow them to run home and take Bo out and feed him if he has to work late or a case takes him to the other side of the island. He thinks he will likely take Bo to the office with him on days they don’t have active cases and he knows most of his day will be spent in the office. Bo has managed to charm everyone in the building and Charlotte, one of the receptionists in one of the offices downstairs who has a soft spot for Bo, has offered to take him for walks and give him some love on her coffee or lunch breaks whenever needed. The woman lost her husband a couple years ago and her only son is deployed in Afghanistan so she has always been very motherly to the Five-0 task force members. Kekipi, the woman who Bo’s owner was neighbors with, has also offered to stop by the house and take care of Bo once he is back at work if Mary and Cath are unable too, so he does have options, he just needs to figure out what will work best for Bo and himself. He hates to rely too much on others to take care of Bo but he knows there will times that, due to his job, he will be unable to give Bo the attention he needs and deserves. 

After a quick stop back at Steve’s house to get cleaned up the men walk into the Hilton only a few minutes late. Catherine, Mary, and Grace are already seated at a table with Chin, Kono, and Kamekona. 

“Hey, how was your hike?” Catherine asks as Steve takes a seat at the end of the table between her and Grace. 

“Well we didn’t stumble across any dead bodies and nobody fell off a cliff today, so I will count that as a win.” Danny jokes, as he sits down beside Grace.

“Very funny, Danny.” Steve grins in spite of himself. “It was great. I’ve missed hiking, you guys will have to join us next time.”

“Once was more than enough for me.” Mary says, remembering her trip up with Steve and her dad when she was 10. She ended the hike with more bug bites than she could count and several large and painful blisters on her feet.

“I’d love to hike up there with you again sometime.” Cath says, “It has been way too long since I’ve been up to the petroglyphs.”

“I’d be game.” Kono says, Chin echoes the sentiment with “Me too.”

“I want to see the petroglyphs too!” Grace pipes up. She will go along with almost anything if it means she can spend time with her Uncle Steve and Aunt Cath. “Did you take pictures, Danno?”

“Did I take pictures? Of course I took pictures.” He pulls out his phone and pulls up the photo library. He swipes to the pictures from the hike and shows them to his daughter.

Grace giggles when she comes across the picture of Steve and Bo when Steve was skipping rocks. “Bo looks like he can’t decide if he should go after the rocks or not!”

Steve leans over to look at the picture over Grace’s shoulder. He smiles at the image of Bo staring curiously into the water with his head cocked. Steve had given Bo the stay command prior to skipping the rocks and Bo had obeyed almost perfectly. He’d inched forward hesitantly once but one look from Steve and Bo had remained where he was for the duration. 

“Can I see, Gracie?” Catherine asks and holds her hand out for the phone. “Thanks, Kiddo.” she replies when Grace passes her the phone. Catherine scrolls through the pictures with a smile, she selects a couple of them and sends them to herself. The couple with Bo are really good pictures and she wants to have them printed and framed for Steve. 

Danny’s phone gets passed around the table so everyone can see the pictures from the hike. 

“How was your day, Gracie?” Steve asks the little girl after their waitress came to take their orders. 

“It was a ton of fun. We went shopping and I bought a new sun dress with my birthday money and then we went to the spa and got manicures and pedicures.” She flashes her right hand with lavender finger nails for her dad and uncle to see. “We all got glittery pink for our toes.” Grace says with an excited smile, in her eyes, having matching nail polish with her honorary aunts was the coolest thing ever. Grace goes on to tell the table about all the things she did with Mary and Catherine today while they wait for their food to arrive. 

The evening wears on with lots of laughs and conversation. Everyone is happy and relaxed as they sit around the table enjoying their food and drinks. When both Grace and Danny are finished eating, Grace crawls into Danny’s lap and is asleep in minutes. Shopping and getting pampered with her aunts wore her out completely. It is nearly 8:30 when Danny stands with Grace in his arms, careful not to wake her up and excuses them for the night. Grace has school tomorrow so he needs to get her home and into bed. 

“I’ll pick you up at 7:30 tomorrow?” Danny confirms with Steve.

“Yeah, my appointment with Dr. Freeman is at 8 so that will give us plenty of time to get to the hospital. See you tomorrow Danny.” Steve bids goodbye to his friend. 

Not long after Danny leaves with Grace, the rest of the group go their separate ways for the night. They all need to be up early for work tomorrow. 

Steve falls into bed next to Catherine, after taking Bo for a quick walk, completely exhausted. He is excited about getting cleared for unrestricted duty tomorrow. This past year has been long and trying for him and he can’t quite believe he is at the point where he can finally return to work. It is a good thing he is so worn out from the hike because he knows without it he wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight due to the excitement. 

It doesn’t take long for Steve to drift off to sleep snuggled up against Cath.

-H50-

Steve wakes up slowly shortly before 5 on Monday morning. He stretches and rolls over, Catherine is still sleeping soundly next to him. Careful not to wake her he slowly sits up on the side of the bed and quietly grabs a syringe and an alcohol pad from his night stand. He swabs a patch of skin near his belly button and swiftly injects the medication into his abdomen. He disposes of the syringe in the sharps container in the bottom drawer of the night stand and gives Bo a good pet when he lifts his head. “You want to go out?” he whispers to the dog. Bo stretches and waits expectantly for his master to get ready. 

Steve stands and changes into a pair of athletic shorts and throws on one of his old Navy tank tops. He grabs a pair of socks and his running shoes and quietly makes his way downstairs with Bo on his heels. Steve sits at the bottom of the stairs and dons his socks and shoes. He clips the leash to Bo’s collar and sets out for a jog. When he takes Bo with him, he jogs rather than runs, not because Bo isn’t capable of running but because Dr. Adams suggested he wait until Bo is closer to two years old before they go for long and strenuous runs due to his still developing joints.

The pair jog at a slow but steady pace, stopping every so often for Bo to do his business. The pace isn’t what Steve normally likes to keep but he likes having Bo with him and it kills two birds with one stone, taking Bo with him on a jog makes more sense than walking Bo and then going for a run afterward, especially on a work day.

An hour later they arrive back at the house, Steve switches Bo over to the long lead that is hooked to the clothes line in the backyard so he can hang out in the yard while Steve goes for a quick swim. He grabs a towel from the house before heading for the ocean.

Steve cuts through the water at a quick, even pace. It feels good to be able to start the day with a swim again and clear his mind. He manages to, however briefly, push his impending meeting with Dr. Freeman out of his mind. Steve knows that he will be cleared for duty but there is a nagging little voice in the back of his head saying ‘what if?’. What if for some reason he can’t be cleared for field work? His worries are unfounded since he hasn’t had a seizure since starting the injections 6 months ago and he doesn’t have any more lingering effects from the traumatic brain injury; and at his appointment last wednesday Dr. Freeman basically told him that today’s appointment is mostly just a formality. His last appointment consisted of blood work, an EKG to check his heart, an EEG, and a CT scan of his head, which the first two were needed to check for complications from his medication and the latter two were necessary tests in order for him to be cleared for duty.

Half an hour later Steve is toweling off in the grass while Bo sniffs around the backyard. After he has mostly dried off and gotten rid of the sand on his feet he calls Bo and heads for the house and starts a pot of coffee. “You hungry, Buddy?” Steve asks the dog as he fills Bo’s food dish with a couple scoops of kibble. 

Bo lets out a woof and excitedly spins in circles a few times. With as excited as he gets at meal time one would think that the dog never gets fed. Next to playing in the water, meal time is Bo’s favorite thing ever. 

Steve waits for Bo to calm down and sit before he sets the dish on the ground. Bo waits, eyes flickering between the food dish and Steve for the command to eat. After a few seconds Steve says, “Ok, Bo!” and the dog dives into his food dish almost before Steve is done saying the 3 syllables. 

Steve then grabs a few things from the fridge for breakfast, he scrambles a few eggs and puts some bread in the toaster for himself and Catherine. He can hear her moving around in the bathroom upstairs and knows she will be down soon for breakfast. 

“Good morning, Sailor.” Catherine greets Steve with a quick kiss five minutes later, dressed in her BDUs.

“Good morning, Lieutenant.” Steve answers after they break apart from the kiss. Catherine snags his coffee cup and takes a couple sips. “There is coffee and scrambled eggs with toast in the kitchen.” 

Catherine disappears into the kitchen and returns a few minutes later with a plate and a cup of coffee. 

“Are you ready for today?” Catherine breaks the silence after a few moments. 

Steve shrugs, still a little nervous that he won’t be cleared for some odd reason, “Yeah, I guess so. It will be good to be able to drive again. I’m so sick of being chauffeured around everywhere.”

Catherine can tell that Steve is nervous for his appointment, they both know that he will be cleared but after it having been so long and having so many complications pop up over the last year she can understand his reservations. She tries to lighten the mood with a grin, “I’m guessing Danny isn’t going to be driving the Camaro any time soon after today.”

“Not a chance.” Steve replies with a smile. He knows what Cath is trying to do and he is grateful for it. “How long are you on duty for today?”

“I’ll be home around 6. We can have a celebratory dinner when I get home.” Catherine waggles her eyebrows at him in a suggestive manner.

“Looking forward to it!” Steve waggles his eyebrows in return.

“Go shower and get ready for work. Danny will be here in 20 minutes. I’ll take care of the dishes.” Catherine says as she snags his empty coffee coffee mug and plate and leans over for another kiss.

Steve makes his way upstairs, Bo follows behind. The dog goes pretty much everywhere Steve goes. “Go lay down.” Steve tells Bo as he gets ready to shower. Bo picks up his rubber Kong bone before he obediently plops down on his dog bed and proceeds to chew on the indestructible toy.

Steve is out of the shower and done shaving in less than ten minutes. He slips his medical alert dog tags over his head and heads for the bedroom to get dressed. Even though the PTE is under control with the injections, Dr. Freeman suggested that he continue to wear the dog tags just to be on the safe side. When Dr. Freeman suggested Steve get a medical alert bracelet he balked at the idea of it at first, but Cath and his doctor talked him into it. Catherine managed to find him a set of dog tags that he can wear under his shirt so they aren’t visible to the whole world but won’t be missed by the EMTs or paramedics should the need for them arise. She had them engraved with his name, medical condition, emergency contact information, and his doctors number. The tags also have a phone number that the paramedics or ER can call that will give them all his medical records and current medications in the event that he is taken to a different hospital or is alone if something happens. It is just a safety precaution that fortunately hasn’t had to be used. Now after nearly a year Steve doesn’t mind wearing them anymore; he just thinks of them like his military dog tags that he wore every day for over fifteen years.

Steve pulls on a pair of khaki cargo pants and a black polo before sitting on the edge of the bed to put on his combat boots. He is downstairs again with five minutes to spare before Danny is supposed to arrive to pick him up. 

“Have a good day.” Steve gives Catherine a kiss before she heads to the base. 

Catherine returns the kiss and lets her lips linger against his for a moment. “You too. Good luck with your appointment. I’ll see you at home tonight.” She gives him another kiss before they reluctantly pull apart. Catherine needs to get going and Danny just pulled up to take Steve to his appointment. 

Steve fastens Bo’s service dog vest and the leash and heads out side to meet Danny after locking up and setting the alarm. Steve is going to take Bo to work with him today and will have Charlotte take him for a walk if he gets called out. 

Steve folds the passenger seat down so Bo can hop in the back seat before getting in the front. “Hey Danno.” Steve greets his partner. 

“Morning Buddy. You ready for today?” 

“Yeah, lets get a move on.” Steve is anxious to get to the hospital. He is hoping that the sooner he gets there the sooner he can be seen and get it all over with. They drive to the hospital is mostly silent, the only sound is the rock station playing quietly on the radio and Bo happily panting in the back seat. His is sitting on the middle seat so he can see out the windshield.

“I’ll wait out here with Bo.” Danny says as he pulls into the parking lot. “I’ll take him for a walk and we can play a game of fetch or something.”

Steve nods, “I shouldn’t be too long. I don’t think there are any tests that I have to do or anything.”

Danny watches Steve disappear into the hospital and fold his seat down so Bo can jump out of the Camaro. “Come on Bo. Lets go for a walk while Steve is inside.” 

-H50-

Forty minutes after Steve went inside he comes back out with a big smile on his face.

“I take it you are cleared for unrestricted duty now?” Danny asks with a smile. He is happy to see Steve looking so happy. 

Steve’s smile grows even more if that is possible. “Unrestricted duty and driving. Keys.” Steve holds out his hand for the car keys. 

Danny tosses him the keys without complaint. “It’s good to have you back, Partner.” Danny replies, opening the passenger door and folding the seat down for Bo to jump in back. 

Steve peels out of the parking lot before Danny even has the door completely closed. It has been way too long since he was able to get behind the wheel. They arrive at the Palace a short time later and are greeted by Chin and Kono in the main area. There is a ‘Welcome back!’ banner hanging over the door to Steve’s office and they have coffee and a box of coco puffs on the table. 

“Welcome back, Boss!” Kono greets Steve with a hug. They are all thrilled to have their fearless leader back in action. 

“Good to have you back, Brah!” Chin pulls Steve into a quick man hug. “We’ve got coffee and coco puffs from Liliha Bakery.”

“Thanks guys. It’s good to be back.” Steve takes the offered coffee from Chin and grabs a coco puff from the bakery box. He doesn’t normally indulge in coco puffs but today he will make an exception since they are celebrating his return to full duty. 

They are in the office for about twenty minutes before Steve’s cell phone rings. “Yes, Governor? Yes ma’am, Dr. Freeman signed off on it earlier this morning……Yes Ma’am understood.” Steve disconnects the call and addresses his team. “Well I hate to cut this short but we have a case. Dead body found in an abandoned warehouse out in Waimanalo. Lets head out.”

THE END


End file.
